Ford US Privacy Notice
Ford Motor Company US Privacy Notice
Effective on: July 1, 2023
Ford Motor Company is committed to be a trusted steward of the personal information you provide to us. We collect and use this data to help fulfill and build on Henry Ford’s vision of providing affordable, safe transportation to everyone. Today, we rely on data to incorporate state-of-the-art technology into our products and services, improve quality and safety, minimize environmental impact, and make our vehicles more enjoyable to drive, own, and use.
If you are the owner or driver of a Ford or Lincoln vehicle, please note these important privacy safeguards:
- you must inform others who drive the vehicle, and passengers who connect their mobile devices to the vehicle, about the information in this Notice, including the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below; and
- if you plan to sell or transfer your vehicle, you must perform a Master/User Reset of your vehicle before it leaves your possession. Please review the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below for more information.
By using Products that display, link to, or refer to this Notice, you acknowledge the disclosures and obligations in this Notice.
Click here to learn more about Interest-Based Advertising.
What This Privacy Notice Covers
This Privacy Notice (this “Notice”) explains our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information, including information we collect through our Products, at offline locations and events, and from third parties.
This Notice covers and applies to:
- Products, services, and features we provide, such as websites, mobile applications, online services, technology platforms, and devices we own or operate, as well as the vehicles we manufacture (collectively, “Products”).
- Personal information collected by or on behalf of Ford Motor Company and our controlled affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Ford,” “we”, “us” or “our”) through Products that link to, refer to, or display this Notice (for example, on their websites or in their own privacy notices).
- The following Connected Services (defined in the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below), which have a Product-specific privacy notice that supplements this Notice (for mobile applications, you should also review the privacy information contained on the applications’ download pages, which supplement this Notice):
- Ford Pass
- Lincoln Way
Additional privacy details may be provided in your vehicle owner’s manual. Owner’s manuals are available at the following links:
What This Privacy Notice Does Not Cover
This Notice does not apply to:
- ·The privacy practices of Ford Motor Company affiliates or subsidiaries with respect to Products that link to, refer to, or display a privacy notice other than this Notice, such as:
- Ford Credit: If you have applied for or received financing through Ford Credit or are a Ford Interest Advantage investor, the personal information you provide as part of applying for, obtaining, and managing your account or investment is subject to the Ford Credit privacy notices available here.
- FordDirect: If you request information or a contact from your local dealer through various shopping tools on Ford.com (including Build and Price, Search Dealer Inventory, Incentives and Offers, Request a Local Quote, and Trade-in Value), your personal information is collected and used by FordDirect, a company that assists Ford and its dealers, subject to the FordDirect Privacy Statement available here.
- Other Ford privacy notices that pertain to: employees, contractors, agency resources, retirees, and applicants, relative to employment or engagement with Ford; or Products that Ford makes available to the personnel of companies that have a business relationship with Ford. These other Ford privacy notices are available through the applicable website, mobile app, or other online Product.
- Content, products, services, features, websites, mobile applications, platforms, or properties not owned or operated by Ford, as described in the Other Sites and Services section below.
- The privacy practices of Ford dealers, dealer distributors, dealer advertising associations, or other dealer associations.
Dealers
When you purchase or lease a Ford or Lincoln vehicle from an authorized dealer, some information you provide to the dealer is disclosed to Ford. Ford’s privacy practices (as described in our privacy notices) apply to personal information the dealer discloses to us, whether in connection with the purchase/lease transaction, vehicle service you may receive from the dealer, or joint marketing activities.
Please be aware, however, that dealers are separate legal entities from Ford and have their own privacy practices. You should contact your dealer directly if you have questions about their privacy practices. Although we encourage dealers to fully satisfy their legal obligations (including those relating to privacy), Ford is not responsible for dealers’ compliance with law.
United States Only
This Notice applies only to personal information collected about individuals in the United States. If you are located in another country, please review the Ford privacy notice that applies to your country.
CATEGORIES AND SOURCES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us, the Products you use, and the choices you make. We collect personal information about you in different ways and from different sources, including through the Products we provide. Details about our privacy practices relating to Ford and Lincoln vehicles appear in the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below.
Information You Provide to Us
You provide information to us in various ways, including when you create or modify an account with us, use our Products, make a purchase from us, ask us for information about our Products, sign up for an event, enter a contest or sweepstakes, contact the Customer Relationship Center, or otherwise communicate with us. For example, we collect the following:
- Contact Information: Depending on the nature of your interaction with us, we collect personal or business information such as name, email address, postal address, and phone number. We may also ask you to provide email addresses of others, for example if you use a “tell-a-friend” tool.
- Demographics: When you interact with us or our Products, you may also provide additional information such as your age range, nationality, and gender.
- Payment Data: If you make a purchase, we collect credit card numbers and other payment or billing information.
- Preferences: You may indicate preferences such as your preferred communication method, language, time zone, and dealer. When you use the vehicle shopping tools on our website, you indicate through your browsing and searches the kinds of vehicles, features, and options you may be interested in.
- Audio/Visual: In some cases, you can upload a photo for a profile image when creating an account, or you may provide your photo at an event or as part of a contest or sweepstakes.
- Identifiers: Depending on the nature of your interaction with us, you may provide us with unique identifiers associated with you. For example, when you leave a comment on one of our social media sites, you provide us with your social media ID.
- Security: When you create or modify your Ford account, you provide us with an email/username and password, along with other information used to authenticate your account such as answers to security questions, etc. You can use these credentials to sign into other Ford experiences (if supported) including experiences offered by our affiliates, including Ford Credit, so you only need to remember one username and password when accessing our online and mobile Products.
- Content of Communications: When you communicate with us, such as via emails, customer service requests, survey responses, website chats or social media posts, likes, or messages, we collect the content of your communication.
- Vehicle Service History: We collect vehicle service history from you when you provide it to us on our sites.
When you are asked to provide personal information, you may decline (such as not entering a credit card to use wallet services in the FordPass mobile app). But if you choose not to provide information that is necessary for certain Products, those Products may not function correctly or be available for use.
Where Ford makes chat features available, we utilize vendors, such as LivePerson. Our vendors that support chat features only use chat communications to support and improve the Ford chat experience.
Information From Your Vehicle
Ford and Lincoln vehicles have systems that record data about how the vehicle is performing, how it is driven, where it is located, and the environment where it is operated. This data may be associated with a vehicle's unique identification number (“VIN”) or other identifiers, and VIN or the other identifiers may be linked to you.
If your vehicle is equipped with Connected Services or has factory-installed connectivity technology capable of electronically transmitting vehicle-originated data to Ford, we may collect the following categories of information from your vehicle:
- Vehicle Data
- Driving Data
- Vehicle Location (which may be collected through location-based features and functions in the vehicle or in our mobile apps and which may be derived from other information such as your mobile device’s location)
- Audio/Visual
- Media Analytics
- Vehicle Analytics
Which categories of information are collected from your vehicle typically depends on how the vehicle is equipped for connectivity; in other words, what connectivity technologies, software version, data sharing settings, and Connected Services are present and what selections have been made for the data sharing settings. See the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below for details and data category definitions.
In limited situations, we may collect Vehicle Location, regardless of location settings. We do this to protect and defend our rights or property (including repossessing a vehicle in the event of a delinquency) or to comply with applicable law, to respond to valid legal process (including from law enforcement or other government agencies), or, in the event of exigent circumstances, to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury or help protect the personal safety of Ford personnel, users of our vehicles, websites, or apps, our visitors, or the public. For additional details about these situations, see the “Our Disclosure of Personal Information” section below.
Information From Your Devices
When you use our websites, mobile apps, online services, and other Products, we automatically collect some information from the devices you’re using (such as mobile phone, tablet, smartwatch, or computer). For example:
- Device Details and Network Information: Some devices reveal, and our servers log, information such as type of device, hardware model, MAC Address, operating system, version, settings, configuration, and network-related information (for example, IP address, mobile network provider, etc.). We may also collect device motion information if you enable that functionality in our mobile apps. As described more in the Cookies section below, our websites and online Products store and retrieve device identifiers (such as browser and other unique online identifiers) using cookies, pixel tags, and other digital technologies set on your device.
- Digital Activity: As described more in the Cookies section below, when you browse our website or use our other online Products, we collect information about your online activity and interaction with our Products, such as access times, webpages or content viewed, mouse movements, scrolling, features used, how the webpage or online feature performed, the results of vehicles saved, built, searched for, or viewed during previous visits, other websites visited, etc.
- Device and Mobile Location: Depending on your device and app settings, we also collect location data from your devices. If your mobile device is connected to your vehicle via Bluetooth or tether, vehicle location may be derived from mobile device location.
You may use app or device controls to prevent certain types of automatic data collection. But if you choose not to provide or allow information that is necessary for certain Products or features, those Products or features may not function correctly or be available for use.
Information We Generate About You
We generate information from the data we collect. For example:
- Digital Activity: When you build or search for vehicles on our website, we generate results that fit your criteria and allow you to save results so that they are available to you in future visits. When you browse our website or use our other online Products, we may infer your zip code, city, state, and/or country location based on your IP address.
- Inferred Preferences: We infer new information from other data we collect, including using automated means to generate information about your likely preferences or other characteristics. For example, we may use information about your vehicle and past purchases to determine your likely readiness to make a new purchase, which we may use for marketing, advertising, or other purposes. We may also infer information from your online activity and interaction with our Products, such as webpages visited, vehicles viewed, app features used, etc.
- Identifiers: When you interact with us, we may generate unique identifiers associated with you or your devices such as Ford account ID, customer ID, rewards program number, or browser or other online identifiers. These unique identifiers help us identify you or associate you with information about you. For example, in our exhibits at auto shows or other events, we may generate a bar code for each visitor that you can swipe as you interact with the exhibit. It may also allow you to access and spread photos and videos if you use available technology to take your picture and/or video at the event.
- Payment Data: We may generate information when you pay for products and services, e.g., transaction history.
Information From Other Sources
We obtain information from others when you direct them to disclose information to us and also from the following sources:
- Affiliates: We receive information from other companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies and affiliates. Our “family of companies” is the group of companies related to us by common control or ownership. Information is disclosed within this “family” as a normal part of business operations, offering products and services to our customers, and allowing our customers to use their Ford account across multiple Ford experiences (if supported).
- Dealers and Other Repairers: We receive information in connection with vehicle sales and service. For example, when you purchase a vehicle from a Ford or Lincoln dealer, the dealer provides Contact Information to Ford, including your name and address, as well as VIN and purchase information such as purchase date. We also receive Vehicle Service History information (and certain other vehicle repair information), which includes history of repairs and may include information such as visit details, service details, repair history, applicable recall repairs, repair order details and payment, and warranty and extended service plan information. We may receive vehicle diagnostic information from dealers or other repairers when your vehicle is serviced or repaired using diagnostic scan tools connected to your vehicle.
- Vendors and Suppliers: We may receive Contact Information or other personal information from our vendors or agents working on our behalf for the purposes described in this Notice.
- Business Partners: We receive personal information from other companies we work with to offer services to our customers, or to reach potential customers with our marketing messages. Examples include:
- Advertising and Analytics Companies: Please see the Cookies section of this Notice for a description of how we receive information from advertising and analytics providers.
- Joint Marketing Partners: We may receive personal information from partners with which we offer co-branded services or engage in joint marketing activities.
- Law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory agencies, and others: We may receive personal information from government agencies or courts for legal compliance purposes, to protect your personal safety or the safety of others, to protect Ford’s or others’ rights or property, or to investigate fraud. We may also receive personal information from others; for example, in connection with litigation settlements, we may acquire information about you from third parties for the purpose of meeting our tax reporting obligations.
- Consumer Data Analytics Firms: We receive Demographics and other data from third parties for purposes such as supporting our marketing campaigns and personalizing Products to our customers.
- Parties to Corporate Transactions: We may receive personal information as part of a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or at transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of business or assets.
- Publicly Available Sources: We may obtain Demographics and other data from publicly available sources, such as open government databases or other data in the public domain, as well as information that is publicly available online on social media, networking, and other sites.
We may combine personal information we collect from any of the above sources.
COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES
Our websites, mobile apps, and other online Products use cookies, pixels, tags, trackers, and similar digital technologies to operate and to help collect data. Cookies are small text files placed on your device to store data that can be recalled by a web server in the same domain that placed the cookie. The text in a cookie often consists of a string of numbers and letters that uniquely identifies your device, but it can contain other information as well.
Cookies on our websites are used to store your preferences and settings, help authenticate your Ford account and enable you to sign in, provide interest-based advertising, combat fraud, analyze how our Products perform, personalize your experience and the content you see on our website (such as by displaying vehicles you have previously viewed or searched for or by conveniently auto-filling data fields in online forms), and fulfill other legitimate purposes.
Our websites may also contain electronic images known as web beacons (also called single-pixel gifs) that we use to help deliver cookies on our websites, count users who have visited those websites, and gather usage and performance data. We also include web beacons in our promotional email messages or newsletters to determine whether you open and act on them, and in our ads appearing on other sites to measure the performance of those ads.
Our websites often include web beacons, cookies, pixels, tags, trackers, and similar digital technologies from third-party vendors. In some cases, that is because we have hired the third party to provide services on our behalf, such as site analytics or advertising. In other cases, it is because our web pages contain third-party content (such as embedded videos, maps, plug-ins, or ads) that contain digital technologies used to track operability and performance of the content, as well as your interaction with the content to determine its effectiveness. When your browser connects to a third party’s web server to retrieve content and/or web beacons, that third party is able to set or read its own cookies on your device and may collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites or online services that also contain that third party’s content or web beacons.
For example, our online Products use third-party tools (such as Mouseflow, Dynatrace, Amplitude, Adobe, and Google Analytics and other Google services), to support the operation and performance of our online Products and to analyze your interactions and experiences with our Products, including the features you engage with, how you navigate, and your click/touch, movement, scroll, and keystroke activity.
You can find out how Google Analytics uses data here and how to opt out of Google Analytics here. For more information on how Google uses data when you use our websites, click here.
You can also find more information on Mouseflow’s privacy practices here and how to opt out here.
For more information about the privacy practices of the other listed companies, please review their privacy policies.
You can learn more about how to opt-out of certain cookies and other technologies by visiting our Your Privacy Choices Page.
Interest-Based Advertising
As noted above, on some pages of our websites we allow third-party advertising partners to use cookies, web beacons, and other digital technologies to collect or receive information regarding your activities on those web pages (e.g., your IP address, page(s) visited, time of day, and other identifiers). We may also disclose such information we have collected to Advertising and Analytics Companies. These companies may use this information (and combine it with information collected over time and across other websites, apps, or other digital services) for purposes of delivering targeted advertisements to you to provide measurement services when you use Ford Products, and when you interact with other (non-Ford) websites and online services. This practice is commonly referred to as "interest-based advertising" or “online behavioral advertising”.
You can opt out of certain cookies and other technologies by clicking on the Cookie Settings link in the footer of our websites. You can also learn more by visiting our Your Privacy Choices Page and the additional information below.
Industry-wide opt-outs. Many advertising and analytics providers are members of associations, which provide a simple way to opt out of analytics and ad targeting, which you can access at:
- United States: Network Advertising Initiative and Digital Advertising Alliance
- Canada: Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
- Europe: European Digital Advertising Alliance
Mobile advertising ID controls. Apple and Android mobile devices each generate an advertising identifier that can be accessed by apps and used by advertisers in much the same way that cookies are used on websites. Each operating system provides options to limit tracking and/or reset the advertising ID.
Browser controls. Web browsers vary on whether they are set to accept or allow various types of cookies and similar digital technologies by default. You can go to your browser settings to learn how to delete or reject cookies. If you choose to delete or reject cookies and similar digital technologies, this could affect certain features or services of our website. If you choose to delete digital technologies, settings and preferences controlled by those digital technologies, including advertising preferences, may be deleted and may need to be recreated.
Do Not Track. Some browsers have incorporated “Do Not Track” (DNT) features that can send a signal to the websites you visit indicating you do not wish to be tracked. Because there is not a common understanding of how to interpret the DNT signal, our websites do not currently respond to browser DNT signals. Instead, you can use the range of other tools to control data collection and use, including the cookie controls and advertising controls described above.
Email web beacons. You can disable web beacons in email messages by changing the settings on your email client to prevent the automatic downloading of images.
Adobe Experience Cloud Device Co-op controls. Ford participates in the Adobe Experience Cloud Device Co-op. This Co-op allows Adobe to better understand how websites and apps are used by linking various devices that appear to be used by the same person. In turn, it helps companies who are members of the Co-op, including Ford, create websites, apps and ads customized for you, across all your devices. You can learn more about the Co-op, how it works, and how to opt-out here.
OUR USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We use the personal information we collect for purposes described in this Notice or otherwise disclosed to you. For example, we have used personal information for the following purposes, including:
- Product and Service Delivery: To provide and deliver our products and services, including operating, securing, and troubleshooting; providing support for vehicle service, warranty, and recall; providing customer service and technical support; and providing credit and financing services.
- Product Improvement: To improve existing products and services.
- Research and Development: To conduct research and develop new products and services.
- Personalization: To understand you and your preferences, to make recommendations, and to deliver personalized experiences and Products centered around you.
- Dealer Support: To support dealer operations.
- Marketing and Advertising: To promote our products and services and those of our selected partners through marketing, advertising, and sponsorships (see the Cookies section below for information about personalized advertising and your advertising choices and the Choice and Control of Personal Information section for how to change your preferences for promotional communications).
- Business Operations: To operate our business and perform business functions, such as accounting, finance, tax, regulatory compliance, litigation, information security, fraud detection and prevention, protection of our rights and property, supplier and vendor management, human resources, information technology, and improving our internal operations.
- Support for Laws, Property, Safety, and Exigent Circumstances: To support our compliance with valid inquiries and directives from law enforcement or other government agencies; in the event of exigent circumstances, to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury or to protect the personal safety of Ford personnel, users of our vehicles, websites, or apps, our visitors, or the public; and to protect the rights or property of others. In carrying out these purposes, we combine data we collect from different sources to give you a more seamless, consistent, personalized, and relevant experience. For example, we use your Ford account identifier (if you were logged in while browsing our website or using our other online Products) or a browser or other unique online identifier (if you were not logged into your account) to link Digital Activity to you over time and across different Products or other digital properties, including those owned or operated by third parties.
Finally, we may de-identify information we collect about you (including Connected Vehicle Information) and use it for any purpose in accordance with applicable law.
OUR DISCLOSURES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We disclose personal information with your consent, when you direct us to disclose it to others, as necessary to complete your transactions, or provide the Products you have requested or authorized. For example, when you provide payment data to make a purchase, we will disclose that data to banks and other entities as necessary for payment processing, fraud prevention, credit risk reduction, or other related financial services. We also disclose personal information to:
- Affiliates. We disclose personal information among the companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies and affiliates. Our “family of companies” is the group of companies related to us by common control or ownership. We disclose information within this “family” as a normal part of business operations and offering products and services to our customers:
- For example, if you are financing your purchase or lease with Ford Credit and Ford Credit asks us to locate your vehicle due to default of your agreement with Ford Credit, we may disclose Vehicle Location with Ford Credit.
- If you create a Ford account, we disclose your account credentials within our family of companies so you only need to remember one username and password to access our online and mobile Products (if supported).
- Dealers. We disclose personal information to authorized Ford dealers, for example, to honor your request for a price quote on a vehicle, to assist in diagnosing service needs, to understand when your vehicle is ready for scheduled maintenance, to allow you to redeem rewards points from Ford loyalty programs at the dealership, to support our joint marketing activities, or to provide a dealer with information for purposes of contacting you in their regular course of business.
- Vendors, Suppliers, and Agents. We disclose personal information to vendors or agents working on our behalf for the purposes described in this Notice. In such cases we require them to use it only to perform that work for us and to use adequate safeguards to protect the confidentiality of the personal information they receive. For example, companies we've hired to provide customer service support or assist in protecting and securing our systems and services may need access to personal information to provide those functions.
- Business Partners. We disclose personal information to other companies that we work together with to offer services to our customers, or to reach potential customers with our marketing messages. Examples include:
- SIRIUS XM. We disclose Contact Information to SiriusXM so that SiriusXM can provide satellite radio offers to vehicle purchasers, including offers for paid subscriptions.
- Advertising and Digital Analytics Companies. Please see the Cookies section of this Notice for a description of how we work with advertising and digital analytics providers.
- Social Media Platforms. We disclose hashed emails from our marketing database or other information we have collected as described in this Notice to social media advertising platforms, such as Facebook, so that they can create Custom Audiences and deliver advertisements on our behalf to their users. Those users are identifiable to the Social Media company when it matches our hashed data to its hashed data of its users.
- Joint Marketing Partners. We disclose information to partners with which we offer co-branded service or engage in joint marketing activities.
- Vehicle Verification and Valuation Partners. We disclose information about factory-installed vehicle features and options to third parties such as auction companies, insurance companies, dealers, lenders, guidebook providers, vehicle websites, and prospective buyers so that they can verify a vehicle’s features and options and estimate its value. The features and options information that we disclose to these third parties is linked to the unique vehicle identification number (VIN).
- Law Enforcement Agencies, Courts, Regulatory Agencies, and Others. We will disclose personal information when we believe that doing so is necessary to:
- Comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process, including from law enforcement or other government agencies;
- In the event of exigent circumstances, to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury or to protect the personal safety of Ford personnel, users of our vehicles, websites, or mobile apps, our visitors, or the public;
- Detect, investigate, prevent or otherwise address fraud or privacy issues;
- Operate and maintain the security of our products, including to detect, investigate, prevent, stop, or remediate an attack on our computer systems or networks; or
- Protect the rights or property of ourselves, our affiliates, or others, including by enforcing our agreements, terms, and policies.
- Parties to Corporate Transactions. We may also disclose personal information as part of a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or at transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of our business or assets.
Finally, we may disclose de-identified information (including Connected Vehicle Information) to others in accordance with applicable law.
Our websites, mobile applications, and other Products may contain links to other content, products, services, features, websites, mobile applications, platforms, or properties that Ford doesn’t own or operate (“Other Sites”) even if they look similar to ours. Please be aware that Ford is not responsible for any Other Sites, their content or operation, or the privacy policies or data practices of the third parties that offer them, even if you access them via our Products, including:
- Dealer websites;
- Websites or services featuring events, promotions, sponsorships, contests, or sweepstakes offered by our business partners (even where co-branded with Ford or Lincoln or our Products);
- Websites or services offered by companies that have received a license to use our name, logo, or other trademarks in connection with their service or product offerings (including those that offer accessories or other products available for use with Ford or Lincoln vehicles);
- Advertisers on our websites;
- Social media or networking platforms; and
- Product review, news, or enthusiast/fan sites and other forums, message boards, or chat groups where our Products are discussed.
For example, some of our website features incorporate the Google reCAPTCHA tool, which collects hardware and software information, such as device and application data, in order to perform integrity checks and help prevent bots from using the feature. Your use of the reCAPTCHA tool is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Ford is also not responsible for third party applications or services that are governed by a privacy policy other than Ford’s and that may:
- Be integrated with or offered through our Products;
- Be made available to you through the vehicle infotainment system or in our mobile apps;
- Be made available to you through the third party's app on your mobile device when you connect your mobile device to the vehicle via Bluetooth or tether; or
- Require or permit the account you have with the third party to be linked to a Ford or Lincoln vehicle, mobile application, or other Product.
For example, some of our websites and online Products include mapping features provided by Google, HERE, and Microsoft (Bing Maps), which will collect and use personal information, including location information. If you use those mapping services, provide personal information to any of those third parties, or consent to our disclosure of personal information to them, the personal information they receive is governed by their privacy statements available via the above links. For example, if you use Bing Maps you agree to be bound by the Bing Terms of Use and Microsoft Privacy Policy.
CHOICE AND CONTROL OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Access, Correction, and Deletion
You can access, edit, or delete some of the personal information we have collected by logging into your account and accessing the information displayed in your profile or account settings.
For example, if you sign into your owner account on the Ford website and then select your profile, you can view and change your personal information and information about your vehicle(s), as well as change your email contact preferences.
If you are a participant in Ford’s New Vehicle Purchase Plan (for eligible Ford Motor Company employees, retirees, Family and Friends, and certain employees of Ford dealerships, suppliers, and other partners), you can access your personal information related to the New Vehicle Purchase Plan by signing in and choosing “My Profile” on https://www.axz.ford.com/ (for employees and retirees), https://www.myplan.ford.com/ (for friends and family), or https://www.dplan.dealerconnection.com/ (for dealership employees). Ford partners can make corrections to personal information collected through the https://www.fordpartner.com/ website by calling the AXZ Call Center at 800-348-7709.
Communications Preferences
You can choose whether to receive promotional communications from us by email, physical mail, and telephone by contacting our Customer Relationship Center (see the How to Contact Us section below). As noted above, you can access and change your email communications preferences by logging into your owner account profile on the Ford website. If you receive promotional email messages from us and would like to stop receiving messages about the promotion, you can do so by following the directions in that message. If you receive text (SMS) messages from us, you can stop delivery of further messages of that type by following the instructions provided or replying “STOP”, after which you will receive a single message confirming your choice. These choices do not apply to mandatory service communications that are part of certain of our products (e.g., recall notices).
Vehicle Controls
To delete certain data stored on your vehicle, you may be able to perform a Master Reset. For controls related to connected vehicles, please see the Connected Vehicle Privacy section below. Additional details and instructions may be available in your vehicle owner’s manual.
Choices for Cookies and Similar Technologies
See the Cookies section for choices about cookies and other analytics and advertising controls.
RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide the products and fulfill the transactions you have requested, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and other legitimate and lawful business purposes. Because these needs can vary for different data types in the context of different products, actual retention periods can vary significantly based on criteria such as whether your personal information is reasonably necessary to manage our operations, to manage your relationship with us, or to satisfy another purpose for which we collected the information; whether your personal information is reasonably necessary to carry out a disclosed purpose that is reasonably compatible with the context in which we collected the information; whether the personal information is reasonably required to protect or defend our rights or property; or whether we are otherwise required or permitted to keep your personal information by applicable laws or regulations. Where personal information is used for more than one purpose, we may retain it until the purpose with the latest period expires.
LOCATION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
The personal information we collect may be stored and processed in your country or region, or in any other country where we or our affiliates, subsidiaries, or vendors maintain facilities. The storage location(s) are chosen to operate efficiently and improve performance. We take steps designed to ensure that the data we collect under this Notice is processed according to the provisions of this Notice and applicable law wherever the data is located.
Location of Processing European Personal Data. We transfer personal data from the European Economic Area and Switzerland to other countries, some of which have not been determined by the European Commission to have an adequate level of data protection. When we do so, we use a variety of legal mechanisms, including contracts, to help ensure your rights and protections.
SECURITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Safeguarding personal information is important to us. While no systems, applications, or websites are 100% secure, we take reasonable and appropriate steps to help protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.
To help us protect personal information, we request that you use a strong password and never disclose your password to anyone or use the same password with other sites or accounts.
YOUR STATE-SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS
This section supplements the US Privacy Notice above and applies to Consumers, as defined by the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (“CTDPA”), Colorado Privacy Act (“CPA”), or Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (“VCDPA”), that access or use our Products. This section describes our collection, use, and disclosure of “Personal Data” (as defined in the VCDPA, CTDPA, or CPA to the extent the law applies to you). References to Personal Information in the US Privacy Notice also describe our practices regarding Personal Data in this section.
We collect the categories of Personal Data about Connecticut, Colorado, and Virginia residents that are indicated in the chart below. The specific pieces of Personal Data collected about you may vary depending on the nature of your interactions with us and may not include all the examples listed.
Category of Personal Data |
Purposes for Collection, Use, and Disclosure |
(1) Identifiers such as name, email address, postal address, phone number, driver’s license number, or other similar identifiers |
|
(2) Personal Records such as a phone number or other financial information |
|
(3) General demographic information such as age, marital or family status, languages spoken, education information, gender, and military and veteran status |
|
(4) Customer Account Details/ Commercial information such as purchase history or tendencies |
|
(5) Internet or Other Electronic Network Activity Information such as IP address, mobile network provider, and other network related information |
|
(6) Geolocation data such as information about your vehicle location or your device and mobile location |
|
(7) Sensory Data, including audio and visual data such as voice commands and other utterances captured when the vehicle’s voice recognition system is in “active listen” state, customer care call recording, in vehicle feedback feature, and audio or video surveys |
|
(8) Inferences drawn from Personal Data collected to generate information about your likely preferences or other characteristics |
|
Connected Vehicle Data, as further described in our Connected Vehicle Privacy Notice |
|
We may use your Personal Data in a way that is considered a “sale” under the CTDPA, CPA, and VCPDA. Further, we process Personal Data, including personal identifiers, personal records, general demographic information, customer account details and commercial information, internet or other electronic network activity information, and geolocation information for targeted advertising purposes. You have the right to opt out of both practices. Information on how to exercise your opt-out rights as well as other rights you may have under the applicable laws is provided below.
We may sell or share the categories of Personal Data listed below to the following third parties: SiriusXM, joint marketing partners and authorized dealers, advertising and digital analytics companies, social media platforms, and data analytics firms.
- Identifiers
- Personal Records
- General demographic information
- Customer Account Details / Commercial Information
- Internet or Other Electronic Network Activity Information
- Geolocation Data
If you are a Connecticut, Colorado, or Virginia resident, subject to certain conditions and restrictions in applicable laws, you have the following rights with regard to your Personal Data:
- Right to Access. You have the right to request access to and obtain a copy of any Personal Data that we may hold about you.
- Right to Correct. You have the right to request that we correct inaccuracies in your Personal Data.
- Right to Delete. You have the right to request that we delete Personal Data that we have collected from or obtained about you.
- Right to Opt Out of Targeted Advertising. You have the right to request that we stop disclosures of your Personal Data for Targeted Advertising via cookies and tracking technologies by adjusting your cookie preferences through the “Cookie Settings” link in the footer of this page. You can opt out of other types of Targeted Advertising by using our webform.
- Right to Opt Out of Sales. You have the right to opt out of our Sales of your Personal Data.
- Right to Opt Out of Profiling. You have the right to opt out of Profiling, as defined in the VCPDA, CTDPA, or CPA, as applicable, in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects. We do not Profile in a manner that would result in legal or similarly significant effects and as such do not offer this right.
- Right to Appeal. If we decline to act on your request, you may appeal our decision.
You may learn more about your privacy choices by visiting our Your Privacy Choices page here or you may use our request form to exercise your privacy rights by clicking here. You may also access, delete, and correct certain Personal Data through your Ford account. Connecticut residents may also contact us for general information about our privacy practices or this notice by using our webform. If you choose to exercise any of the privacy rights described above, you will not receive discriminatory treatment from us.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY NOTICE
We will update this Notice when necessary to reflect changes in applicable law, our Products, what personal information we collect, or how we use personal information. When we post changes to the Notice, we will change the “Effective date” at the top of the Notice. If we make material changes to the Notice, we will provide notice or obtain consent regarding such changes as may be required by law.
Before the current update, this Notice was last updated January 1, 2023.
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you have a privacy concern, complaint, or a question for Ford, please contact us at:
Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126
Telephone
800-392-3673
800-232-5952 (TDD for the hearing impaired)
Available M-F 8:00 am - 11:00 pm EST
Available Sat. 8:00 am – 8:00 pm EST
Connected Vehicle Privacy Notice
A variety of technologies work together to provide connectivity. Your vehicle may be equipped with factory-installed connectivity technology capable of wirelessly transmitting vehicle-originated data to Ford. Your vehicle may also be equipped with features or services that wirelessly transmit vehicle-originated data to Ford as part of their function (“Connected Services”). “Connected Vehicle Information” is the data originating from vehicles with either type of connectivity.
You can check to see if your vehicle is equipped with connectivity technology or Connected Services. Check here for Ford vehicles, and here for Lincoln vehicles, or you can read the vehicle’s owner’s manual or visit your dealer.
This Connected Vehicle Privacy section of our Privacy Notice applies to Ford or Lincoln vehicles that are purchased or leased by individual consumers for personal use in the United States. To return to the top of our main Notice, click here.
Topics relating to Connected Vehicle Information that are not addressed specifically in this section are covered in other sections of our Privacy Notice. For example, for information on use, see the section “Our Use of Personal Information” in the main privacy notice, and for information on our disclosing to others, see the section “Our Disclosures of Personal Information” in the main privacy notice.
Connected Vehicle Information
Connected Vehicle Information includes the following categories:
Connected Vehicle Information Categories |
Examples |
Vehicle Data (may also be referred to as Vehicle Information)
|
Information about the vehicle, its components and parts, including their status and performance, and diagnostics of vehicle systems (such as VIN, hardware model and part numbers, odometer, tire pressure, fuel and fluid levels, battery and lock status, trouble codes, warning indicators, alerts, and SYNC diagnostics), vehicle charging information (if applicable), and other information about how the vehicle is performing. |
Driving Data (may also be referred to as Driving Characteristics and Behavior) |
Information about how the vehicle is operated and used (such as speed, use of accelerator, brakes, steering, seat belts, etc.). |
Vehicle Location
|
Precise location/GPS information about the vehicle, including current location, travel direction, speed, charging locations used (if applicable), and information about the environment where the vehicle is operated (such as weather, road segment data, road surface conditions, traffic signs, and other surroundings). |
Audio/Visual (may also be referred to as Connected Voice Data, Digital Assistant, Ford Assistant, or Lincoln Assistant) |
Voice commands and other utterances captured when the vehicle’s voice recognition system is in “active listen” state. |
Media Analytics (may also be referred to as Audio Listening Analytics) |
Information about what is listened to in the vehicle (such as radio presets, volume, channels, media sources, title, artist, and genre). |
Vehicle Analytics (may also be referred to as SYNC Analytics or In-Vehicle Services Information) |
Information about the usage of vehicle features, services, and technology (such as which features are used). |
Collection of Connected Vehicle Information
Whether your vehicle shares Connected Vehicle Information with us typically depends on how the vehicle is equipped for connectivity; in other words, what connectivity technologies, software version, data sharing settings, and Connected Services are present and what selections have been made for data sharing settings. For information on other situations when we collect Connected Vehicle Information, see the section “Categories and Sources of Personal Information We Collect” in the main privacy notice above.
Select vehicles for model year 2020 and later share Vehicle Data (e.g., diagnostics) to us at delivery and may share other categories of Connected Vehicle Information with us, depending on the connectivity factors described in the preceding paragraph.
When Connected Vehicle Information is collected from the vehicle, it may be associated with a vehicle's identification number (“VIN”) or other identifiers, and the VIN or the other identifiers may be linked to you.
We may also collect Connected Vehicle Information from the vehicle in de-identified form, such that the information cannot reasonably be linked back to you.
Your Disclosure of Information about Your Vehicle to Third Parties
You may directly share information about your connected vehicle, or cause information about your connected vehicle to be shared, with third parties when you choose to use their applications or services that:
- Are made available to you through the vehicle infotainment system;
- Are made available to you through the third party’s app on your mobile device when you connect your mobile device to the vehicle via Bluetooth or tether; or
- Require or permit the account you have with the third party to be linked to a Ford or Lincoln vehicle or mobile application.
If you choose to share information about your vehicle with third parties, once you have shared it, the third party’s terms and conditions and privacy policies (and not this Notice) apply to the shared information.
Connected Vehicle Controls
As described below, a variety of technologies work together to provide the ability to access Connected Services and features. Depending on how the vehicle is equipped, different in-vehicle controls may be available to you. Learn more about modems, other connectivity technology, and in-vehicle controls in the owner’s manual or call the Ford Customer Relationship Center (see How to Contact Us in the main privacy notice). Owner’s manuals are available at the following links:
You can use these controls and take other steps to protect your privacy with respect to Connected Services. For example, we recommend the following:
- Read your vehicle owner’s manual and familiarize yourself with how the vehicle you are driving (or riding in) is equipped, for example vehicle connectivity options and data sharing settings.
- Read this Connected Vehicle Privacy section so you are aware of what Connected Vehicle Information may be collected and how it is used.
- Inform passengers and other drivers of the vehicle that Connected Vehicle Information is being collected and used by us and our vendors.
- Prior to selling or transferring ownership of the vehicle, complete a MASTER RESET (see below) to remove imported personal data like contact lists, names of paired devices and/or connected networks to return the vehicle to the default factory settings and:
a. For vehicles with modems: this will also disassociate any FordPass/Lincoln Way account(s) connected to the vehicle and stop any account-related data sharing
b. For vehicles with a Connectivity Device: you must remove the VIN from your FordPass/Lincoln Way account(s) to disassociate the vehicle from the account and stop any account-related data sharing
Note: Account-related data sharing will continue unless (a) or (b) is performed. Please contact us if you have any questions.
- If you purchase or lease a pre-owned Ford or Lincoln vehicle, please check here for Ford vehicles, and here for Lincoln vehicles to see if your vehicle has connectivity technology. Based on how the vehicle is equipped, perform a MASTER RESET and complete the appropriate action detailed in number 4 (above). Please read the “How to Tell If a Vehicle Is Sharing Data” section below to learn more. Connected Services such as FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) and Lincoln Connect, if equipped and activated, may send us Connected Vehicle Information and may have associated multiple accounts that may allow the account user to access vehicle location and services, such as remote start, lock and unlock, and information about vehicle status, such as fuel level.
- Review the terms and conditions and privacy notices for any third-party services or applications to which you subscribe and/or use while in a Ford or Lincoln vehicle.
- If you rent a connected vehicle, perform a MASTER RESET before you drive the vehicle and before you return the vehicle to the rental company. Please contact the rental company with any questions.
MASTER RESET Performing a Master Reset returns the vehicle’s modem to the factory settings and removes any imported personal data like cellular phone contact lists, names of paired devices and/or connected networks. Master Reset also disconnects modem-equipped vehicles from any FordPass / Lincoln Way accounts. See 4 above. Deleting the FordPass/Lincoln Way app from your device will not disable data sharing. PERFORM A MASTER RESET: BEFORE SELLING OR TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP AFTER PURCHASING OR LEASING A PRE-OWNED VEHICLE BEFORE AND AFTER RENTING A VEHICLE FROM A RENTAL COMPANY |
When you are asked to provide personal information, you may decline (such as not associating a VIN to a FordPass/Lincoln Way account). But, if you choose not to provide or allow information that is necessary for certain products or features, those products or features may not function correctly or be available for use.
Connected Vehicle Services and Technologies
We work with AT&T as our current cellular network provider for our Connected Services in the United States.
Our Connected Services include:
- FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) / Lincoln Connect (if equipped): FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) or Lincoln Connect enables access to features through a modem built into the vehicle. The modem allows the vehicle to connect to wireless networks, much like a mobile device with a subscriber identity module (SIM). Like other vehicle parts, the modem is installed at the factory.
- Periodically, the modem sends messages to us, through our cellular network provider to enable Connected Services. The messages could include information that identifies the vehicle, the SIM, and the electronic serial number (ESN) of the FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) / Lincoln Connect modem. At delivery, select model year 2020 and later vehicles are sharing Vehicle Data with us (e.g., diagnostics).
- The cellular network provider may also associate the modem’s SIM to additional information such as cellular network tower identification. Unless the modem is deactivated, the modem will communicate with the cellular network provider.
- You may be able to customize your preferences in the in-vehicle connectivity settings menu. Please refer to the owner’s manual or contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center for more information. When connected with the FordPass app (Lincoln Way app), you may be able to access additional features.
- Ford Connectivity Devices (if equipped):
- Connectivity Devices (either installed in the vehicle at the factory, installed in the vehicle by a dealer, or plugged into the OBD port in compatible vehicles) enable access to Connectivity Services. Connectivity Devices allow connected vehicles to connect to a wireless network (much like a mobile device with a SIM).
- Periodically, the Connectivity Device sends messages to us, through our cellular network provider. These messages contain a unique number which identifies the Connectivity Device’s SIM, the vehicle's VIN, and the electronic serial number (ESN) of the Connectivity Device.
- The cellular network provider may also associate the Connectivity Device’s SIM to additional information such as cellular network tower identification. Unless the Connectivity Device is deactivated, the Connectivity Device will communicate with the cellular network provider. Please refer to the owner’s manual or contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center for more information.
- When connected with the FordPass app (Lincoln Way app), you may be able to access additional features. Some features require an active FordPass / Lincoln Way account.
- Wi-Fi Hotspot (if equipped): Certain vehicles equipped with FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) or Lincoln Connect can sign-up with AT&T for Wi-Fi Hotspot service in the vehicle. To enable the activation of the Wi-Fi Hotspot, certain information, including the vehicle's VIN and the SIM identifier, is provided to AT&T, who manages the subscription and will use that information according to its own privacy notice, which you can find here. AT&T will inform us when certain data usage thresholds are met. If you have paired FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) or Lincoln Connect to the FordPass or Lincoln Way app, you can view approximate data plan usage amounts within the app and in your vehicle. For more information about the vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot, please visit the following websites:
Note: If you’re planning to sell your Ford or Lincoln connected vehicle, remember to remove the vehicle from your AT&T account before you sell the vehicle. And, if you purchase or lease a used Ford or Lincoln connected vehicle, you’ll need to contact AT&T to add the new vehicle to your AT&T account.
- SYNC Wi-Fi (if equipped): To enhance the SYNC experience, when connected to Wi-Fi (data charges may apply), Vehicle Analytics is shared with us and we periodically release software updates so the vehicle has the latest compatible SYNC version. You can choose to enable Share Media Analytics, Send Failed Voice Commands, and/or Submit Feedback regarding SYNC in the in-vehicle settings menu.
Note: Please make sure you connect the vehicle to trusted Wi-Fi networks.
- AppLink (if equipped): You may be able to use AppLink, to connect your mobile apps with SYNC 3/SYNC 4 (SYNC). Your mobile device provides the data connection (so data charges may apply) and SYNC provides the infotainment integration, including voice controls.
- To enable mobile apps, SYNC requires user consent to send and receive app authorization information and updates, using the data plan associated with the connected device. The connected device sends encrypted data (such as the VIN, SYNC module serial number or other component identifier, odometer, enabled apps, usage statistics and debugging information) to us. SYNC organizes app permissions into groups. When not driving, you may be able to use the settings menu to grant these group permissions individually, change a permission group status, and see the data included in each group, if equipped. When you launch an app using SYNC, the system may ask you to grant certain permissions, for example, information about the vehicle, such as Vehicle Data, Driving Data, Vehicle Location, Convenience Controls, and/or Push Notifications. Please be aware that the permission selections available to you may vary based on which version of SYNC is equipped in your vehicle. You can enable all groups or none of them during the initial app permissions prompts. Please see the owner’s manual for more information. Please note that you are only prompted to grant permissions the first time you use an app with SYNC. We recommend you review the terms and conditions and privacy notices for any third-party app or service to which you subscribe and/or use. We take no responsibility for apps or services provided by any third party, including their use of any data. If you choose to share information about your vehicle through your use of third-party apps or services, once you have shared the information, the third party’s terms and conditions and privacy notices (and not this Notice) apply to the shared information.
If you change your mind about sharing vehicle information with a mobile app or want to stop using it with SYNC, you can change your preferences in SYNC’s Mobile App settings in the vehicle.
- 911 Assist (if equipped): 911 Assist (if equipped and active) may, through any paired and connected cellular phone, disclose to emergency services that the vehicle has been in a crash involving the deployment of an airbag or, in certain vehicles, the activation of the fuel pump shut-off. Certain versions or updates to 911 Assist may also be capable of being used to electronically or verbally provide the vehicle location (such as latitude and longitude) and/or other details about the vehicle or crash, change in velocity, and possible detection of fastened seatbelts, or personal information about the occupants to 911 operators to assist them in providing the most appropriate emergency services. If you do not want to disclose this information, do not activate the 911 Assist feature. If any user sets 911 Assist to on or off, that setting applies for all paired phones. To switch 911 Assist on and off or for more information, please see your owner’s manual (SYNC and Settings).
Note: Vehicles equipped with the MyKey feature may be capable of overriding the 911 Assist settings and turning 911 Assist On, even if it was previously set to Off. If you do not want to disclose this information, do not enable MyKey.
- Location and Global Positioning System (GPS) (if equipped): Some vehicles contain global positioning system (GPS) capability or, in some instances, may utilize the GPS in connected wireless devices. GPS may be used to determine the vehicle’s physical location, travel direction, and speed, and to record this information over time to provide location-based services.
- Ford Apps: If a vehicle is equipped with connectivity technology, you may be able to connect to the vehicle using the FordPass/Lincoln Way apps. If you associate a vehicle to your FordPass/Lincoln Way account, the vehicle may send Connected Vehicle Information, including location information, to us. To turn off sharing data associated with your FordPass/Lincoln Way account, you must perform a MASTER RESET on the vehicle or remove the VIN from your FordPass / Lincoln Way app garage. Deleting the app from your device will not disable data sharing. For more information, please see the app privacy notice:
How to Know if a Vehicle is Sharing Data
Select model year vehicles include in-vehicle icons that indicate when Connected Vehicle Information is being shared:

If a FordPass / Lincoln Way account has not been associated with the vehicle, this icon indicates that only Vehicle Data is being shared.
If a FordPass / Lincoln Way account has been associated with the vehicle, this icon indicates that Vehicle Data and/or Driving Data are being shared (based on your sharing settings).
...less

These icons may be hidden temporarily while you navigate in menus or use certain features and services (such as Android Auto™ or Apple CarPlay®).
You may be able to check the status bar on the screen of the in-vehicle infotainment system, if equipped, for alerts and notifications, including strength of nearby Wi-Fi networks or the strength of the connection coming from your mobile device.
Vehicles equipped with Connectivity Devices include a window etching (or sticker) with an image similar to below, indicating the Connectivity Device may be sharing Connected Vehicle Information, for example vehicle data and location.
Note: To stop the Connectivity Device from sharing this information, see your Connectivity Settings through the FordPass / Lincoln Way app. You may also remove the vehicle from your FordPass / Lincoln Way account.
For other vehicle models, please see the owner’s manual, check the in-vehicle settings (if equipped) or contact your dealer for more information about what connectivity equipment is installed in the vehicle, and how to tell if the vehicle is sharing data. You can also find out how to deactivate vehicle connectivity in the owner’s manual.
Sharing a Vehicle or Driving a Shared Vehicle
If you share a vehicle with others, please tell them about the connectivity and privacy settings for the vehicle. For example, inform passengers within the vehicle and other drivers of the vehicle that Connected Vehicle Information is being shared with us and our vendors. And, let them know where they can find the information needed to connect to the vehicle's Wi-Fi Hotspot (if equipped and activated) and where they can turn off vehicle location and other connected vehicle data sharing settings, if equipped.
Multiple accounts can be created on the FordPass / Lincoln Way apps, and more than one account can be connected to a single vehicle. If you drive a vehicle with more than one account connected to it, the user(s) of each account will have access to:
- The vehicle's location;
- Services that allow the vehicle to be remotely started, locked and unlocked; and
- Services that show information about the vehicle's status (for example, its fuel level).
Similarly, if you drive a vehicle with the FordPass / Lincoln Way app connected to it, the user(s) of the app will have access to the information and services outlined above.
If you want to connect an account on the FordPass / Lincoln Way app to a vehicle that has already been connected to another account, your name and the fact that you have requested this connection will be shared, via the FordPass / Lincoln Way app, with current user(s) who connected to the vehicle before you. The current user or users have the opportunity to allow or refuse your connection to the vehicle.
Additionally, you can turn off sharing data associated with your FordPass / Lincoln Way account by performing a MASTER RESET or by removing the VIN from your FordPass / Lincoln Way app garage. To learn how to perform a MASTER RESET, please see your owner’s manual. Simply deleting the app from your device will not disable data sharing. See Connected Vehicle Controls (above) for more information.
Some vehicles have in-vehicle pop-up notifications to alert drivers and passengers of Connected Vehicle Information sharing settings (see “How to Know if a Vehicle is Sharing Data” above). Drivers with an unrecognized mobile device may see a pop-up displayed in-vehicle informing them of the current vehicle data and/or location sharing settings. A mobile device is “recognized” if it has been paired with an infotainment system, like SYNC. This way if someone is new to the vehicle, or not driving it enough to pair their mobile device, the system will inform them of the vehicle’s current data and/or location sharing settings.
California Privacy Disclosures
CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS AND INFORMATION
Effective Date: July 1, 2023
California Consumer Privacy Act Policy and Notice at Collection
This California Consumer Privacy Act Policy and Notice at Collection (the “California Notice”) describes how we Collect and use Personal Information (“PI”) and the rights that the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended (the “CCPA”), provides to California residents.
To learn more about the Personal Information we collect and how we use it, you can click here to view our Information Practices. Unless otherwise noted, the disclosures and Information Practices contained within this California Notice describe our current practices and our practices for the 12 months preceding the Effective Date.
This California Notice applies to California Consumers that use our Products or interact with us in an individual or household capacity.
This California Notice does not apply to:
- Current Ford employees, who may view their privacy notice through Life@Ford.
- Former employees, retirees, beneficiaries, dependents, or contractors, who may view their notices at at.ford.com at the applicable website, mobile app, or other online Product.
- Job applicants, who will receive notices at applicable websites or by visiting the Ford Careers page here.
- Individuals who interact with Ford in their capacity as an employee or representative of another business or entity that does business with Ford, who may view their privacy notice here.
- Activity at authorized dealerships. Dealers are separate legal entities from Ford and, under the CCPA, separate Businesses from Ford. If you want to exercise your CCPA rights regarding Personal Information a Ford or Lincoln authorized dealer may have Collected about you, you will need to contact the dealer directly about exercising your rights.
This California Notice supplements other parts of our Notice and provides additional information for California residents. In the event of a conflict between any other Ford policy, statement, or notice and this California Notice, this California Notice will prevail as to California residents’ rights under the CCPA. Capitalized terms in this Notice have the same meaning as the matching terms defined in the CCPA or our main Notice.
You can click on the following links to navigate to the different sections in this California Notice
What Information We Collect and Why We Collect It
Sources of Personal Information
Who We Disclose Personal Information To
Selling and Sharing of Personal Information
Retention of Personal Information
Your California Privacy Rights
How to Exercise Your California Privacy Rights
What Personal Information We Collect and Why We Collect It
We Collected the categories of Personal Information about California residents that are indicated in the chart below. Note that the specific pieces of Personal Information we Collected about you may vary depending on the nature of your interactions with us and may not include all of the examples listed.
Category of PI |
Purposes for Collection, Use, and Disclosure |
(1) Identifiers such as name, email address, postal address, phone number, driver’s license number, or other similar identifiers |
|
(2) Personal Records (personal information described in 1798.80(e) of the California Civil Code) such as a phone number or other financial information |
|
(3) Characteristics of protected classifications under California or federal law, such as age, race, ethnicity, gender, and veteran and military status |
|
(4) Customer Account Details/ Commercial information such as purchase history or tendencies |
|
(5) Internet or Other Electronic Network Activity Information such as IP address, mobile network provider, and other network related information |
|
(6) Geolocation data such as information about your vehicle location or your device and mobile location |
|
(7) Sensory Data, including audio and visual data such as voice commands and other utterances captured when the vehicle’s voice recognition system is in “active listen” state, customer care call recording, in vehicle feedback feature, and audio or video survey |
|
(8) Inferences drawn from Personal Information Collected to generate information about your likely preferences or other characteristics |
|
Connected Vehicle Data, as further described in our Connected Vehicle Privacy Policy |
|
The CCPA defines Sensitive Personal Information as a type of Personal Information. This section describes how we Collected and used the types of Sensitive Personal Information about California residents described below. Note that the specific pieces of Sensitive Personal Information we collected about you may vary depending on the nature of your interactions with us and may not include all of the examples listed below.
Personal Information that reveals a consumer’s precise geolocation. We Collected, and may Collect, this information from your vehicle or mobile device. We collect, use, and disclose this information to:
- To provide location-based services
- To protect and defend our rights or property (including repossessing a vehicle in the event of a delinquency)
- To help prevent the loss of life or serious injury, to or help protect the personal safety of Ford personnel, users of our vehicles, websites, or apps, our visitors, or the public
- To provide Products you request or offer Products to you
- For purposes as authorized by the CCPA and its regulations
Personal Information that reveals a consumer’s race or ethnicity. Within the preceding 12 months, we may have collected race or ethnicity data directly from you when you responded to surveys or from data enrichment providers to offer you Products that we believe would be of interest to you and to ensure we are reaching underserved members of our communities. Going forward, we will only use this data for purposes related to Product offerings with your consent, such as when you complete a survey, or as otherwise permitted by law.
We do not use Sensitive Personal Information for the purpose of inferring characteristics about you, or for any other reasons besides permitted Business Purposes. For this reason, we do not treat the Sensitive Personal Information we Collect as subject to a limit use of Sensitive Personal Information request and, therefore, we do not offer a way for you to submit such a request.
We may also Collect, use, or disclose all categories of PI described above for other purposes authorized by applicable laws, including:
- to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury or to protect the personal safety of Ford personnel, users of our vehicles, websites, or mobile apps, our visitors, or the public;
- to detect, investigate, prevent or otherwise address fraud or other security and integrity issues;
- as part of a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or at transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of our business or assets;
- to operate and maintain the security and integrity of our Products; and
- to protect the rights or property of ourselves, our affiliates, or others, including by enforcing our agreements, terms, and policies.
Further, we may Deidentify your Personal Information and disclose this Deidentified information to others as permitted by applicable law. Where we Deidentify information, we will not attempt to reidentify that information.
Sources of Personal Information
We Collect Personal Information:
- directly from you;
- from your vehicle;
- from your devices or browser;
- from our affiliates;
- from authorized dealers and other repairers;
- from Service Providers and suppliers;
- from business partners;
- from law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory agencies, and others;
- from data analytics firms;
- from parties to corporate transactions;
- and from publicly available sources.
Who We Disclose Personal Information To
We may have disclosed, or may disclose, each category of Personal Information described above to these categories of recipients:
- companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies and affiliates;
- authorized Ford dealers;
- vendors or agents working on our behalf;
- advertising and digital analytics companies;
- joint marketing partners and authorized dealers;
- Service Providers that provide customer service offerings; or
- other companies that we work with to offer Products to our customers.
We have also disclosed, or may disclose, each category of Personal Information described above in other circumstances when required to or permitted by law. These circumstances include:
- to businesses we partner with to provide Products requested by you;
- to outside parties when disclosures are required or permitted by law to defend against legal claims;
- to law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory agencies and others when the disclosure is required or permitted by law, including to comply with valid legal process; and
- to parties with whom we are involved in a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or at transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of our business or assets.
Selling and Sharing of Personal Information
This section describes the categories of Personal Information Sold to Third Parties or Shared with Third Parties (other than Sharing) for Cross-Context Behavioral Advertising in the preceding 12 months. We offer you the ability to opt-out of these disclosures as set forth in the “Your Opt Out Rights” Section below or by visiting our Your Privacy Choices page.
PI Category |
Sale |
Share |
Purposes and Categories of Recipients |
Identifiers |
Yes |
Yes |
Purposes: To inform customers of satellite radio subscriptions, for marketing and advertising purposes, and co-branded offerings or joint marketing activities |
Personal Records |
Yes |
No |
Purposes: To provide complimentary satellite radio trials, for marketing and advertising purposes, and co-branded offerings or joint marketing activities Categories of Recipients: SiriusXM, joint marketing partners, authorized dealers, and data analytics firms |
Characteristics of Protected Classifications |
No |
Yes |
Purposes: For analytics, marketing and advertising purposes and co-branded offerings or joint marketing activities Categories of Recipients: Advertising and digital analytics companies and joint marketing partners |
Customer Account Details / Commercial Information |
Yes |
Yes |
Purposes: For co-branded offerings or joint marketing activities Categories of Recipients: Joint marketing partners and authorized dealers |
Internet or Other Electronic Network Activity Information |
No |
Yes |
Purposes: For marketing and advertising and co-branded service offerings or joint marketing activities Categories of Recipients: Advertising and digital analytics companies, and joint marketing partners |
Geolocation Data |
Yes |
Yes |
Purposes: For marketing and advertising Categories of Recipients: Advertising and digital analytics companies, and other companies that we work with to offer Products to our customers |
Sensitive Personal Information: race and ethnicity |
No |
Yes |
Purposes: For marketing and advertising, and co-branded service offerings or joint marketing activities Categories of Recipients: Advertising and digital analytics companies, and joint marketing partners |
We have also Sold information about factory-installed vehicle features and options with third parties such as auction companies, insurance companies, authorized dealers, lenders, guidebook providers, vehicle websites, and prospective buyers so that they can verify a vehicle’s features and options and estimate its value. The features and options information that we share with these third parties is linked to the vehicle identification number (VIN).
We do not knowingly Sell the Personal Information of minors under 16 years of age.
Retention of Personal Information
We keep the categories of Personal Information described above for as long as is necessary for the purposes described in this Notice or otherwise authorized by law.
This generally means holding each category of Personal Information for as long as one of the following criteria apply:
- whether your Personal Information is reasonably necessary to manage our operations, to manage your relationship with us, or to satisfy another purpose for which we collected the information;
- whether your Personal Information is reasonably necessary to carry out a disclosed purpose that is reasonably compatible with the context in which the Personal Information was Collected;
- whether the Personal Information is reasonably required to protect or defend our rights or property (which will generally relate to applicable laws that limit actions in a particular case); or
- whether we are otherwise required or permitted to keep your Personal Information by applicable laws or regulations.
Where Personal Information is used for more than one purpose, we may retain it until the purpose with the latest period expires. For more information about our retention policies, please contact us using the contact details below.
Your California Privacy Rights
The CCPA gives California Consumers certain rights. Where required, we will ask you to verify your identity before honoring your requests (this includes for requests made by authorized agents).
Right to Access/Know. You have the right to request that we provide you with the following information:
- The categories and specific pieces of Personal Information we have Collected about you in the last 12 months.
- The categories of sources from which we Collect Personal Information.
- The Business or Commercial Purposes for Collecting, Using, Sharing or Selling Personal Information.
- The categories of Personal Information we have disclosed about you for a Business Purpose and the categories of recipients to which it was disclosed.
- The categories of Personal Information we Sold or Shared about you and the categories of Third Parties to which each category of Personal Information was Sold or Shared.
Right to Delete. You have the right to request that we delete Personal Information under certain circumstances, subject to several exceptions.
Right to Correct. You have the right to request that we correct Personal Information that we maintain about you if you believe it is inaccurate. We may request documentation from you in connection with your request. Upon receipt of a verifiable request to correct inaccurate Personal Information, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to correct the Personal Information. You can also correct certain Personal Information that we maintain about you by logging into your Ford account.
Your Opt-Out Rights. You have the right to opt out of the Sale and Sharing of your Personal Information. You can opt out of Sales or Sharing via cookies or tracking technologies through an opt-out preference signal or through our Cookie Settings.
You may opt out through our cookie preference center by clicking on the “Cookie Settings” link in the footer of our websites.
We have also enabled the Global Privacy Control, which is designed to recognize opt-out preference signals. In order to process your request through an opt-out preference signal, you must use a browser or extension supporting the preference signal. If you choose to use an opt-out preference signal, you will need to turn it on for each browser and each device you use.
If you would like to opt out of Sales and Sharing other than through cookies or other online tracking technologies, you can do so by filling out the request form here.
Right to Non-Discrimination. You have a right to not be discriminated against for exercising rights set out in the CCPA.
How to Exercise Your California Privacy Rights
You can exercise your CCPA rights by submitting your request(s) to us using the web form located here. You can also exercise your CCPA rights by calling us, toll-free, at 1-888-459-1291, Monday through Friday from 5:00 am until 8:00 pm Pacific time or Saturday from 5:00 am until 5:00 pm Pacific time. Our call center will be closed on Sundays and on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
If you want to exercise more than one of your CCPA rights, please submit a separate request for each CCPA right, so we can track and respond to your requests more effectively. Please be aware that we will process your requests in the order we receive them.
Whether you use the web form or call us, we will need information from you to process your request so that we can confirm you are a California resident, determine if we have Personal Information about you, and, for access, correction, and deletion requests, verify your identity.
Please be aware there might be circumstances where we will not honor your request, as permitted under the CCPA. For example, if we are not able to verify your identity and that you are a California resident, we may not honor your request. In addition, we may not delete your Personal Information if an exception under the CCPA applies.
You may designate, in writing or through a power of attorney, an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf to exercise your rights under the CCPA. Before accepting a request from an agent, we will require the agent to provide proof you have authorized it to act on your behalf, and we may need you to verify your identity directly with us.
The following metrics cover January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022:
- Requests to Know / Access Requests:
- Received: 386
- Complied with in whole or in part (providing categories or specific pieces of personal information): 213
- Denied (request not verifiable): 173
-Median number of days to substantive response: 29
- Requests to Delete:
- Received: 2,416
- Complied with in whole or in part (deleting all personal information or personal information not subject to an exception): 1,129
- Denied (request not verifiable): 1,287
- Median number of days to substantive response: 30
- Requests to Opt-Out / Do Not Sell Requests:
- Received: 28,290
- Complied with in whole or in part: 28,290
- Median number of days to substantive response: 1
California law permits customers in California to request certain details about how their personal information is shared with third parties, and in some cases affiliates, if personal information is shared for those third parties’ or affiliates’ own direct marketing purposes. We share personal information with third parties or affiliates for those third parties’ or affiliates’ own direct marketing purposes. Californians may request information about our personal information sharing by contacting us at calprivy@ford.com.
Please include “California Shine the Light Request” in the subject line and in the body of your message.
Please note that “Shine the Light” rights and CCPA rights are granted by different laws and must be exercised separately.
-------------------------------------------------------
CALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE FOR INDIVIDUALS IN A BUSINESS OR COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH FORD (“B2B NOTICE”)
This business-to-business notice (the “B2B Notice”) describes how Ford Motor Company (“Ford,” “our,” “we,” or “us”) collects, uses, and shares the personal information of California residents who interact with Ford as an employee, owner, director, officer, or independent contractor of another company, partnership, sole proprietorship, non-profit, or government agency (collectively, “Entity”). It also explains your rights relating to Personal Information under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended (the “CCPA”). We use the word “you” or “your” to refer to anyone within the scope of this B2B Notice.
This B2B Notice does not cover our collection of Personal Information in connection with products or services provided by Ford Credit. You may view Ford Credit’s privacy notices here: https://www.ford.com/finance/privacy/. This notice does not cover our collection of Personal Information in connection with products or services provided for Ford Pro. You may view the Ford Pro privacy notices here: https://fordpro.com/en-us/privacy/.
Unless otherwise noted, the disclosures and Information Practices contained within this B2B Notice describe our current practices and our practices for the 12 months preceding this notice's Effective Date.
What Personal Information We Collect And Why We Collect It
Within the past 12 months, we may have collected Personal Information about you as follows (whether we collected a specific category of information depends on the nature of your interaction with us):
Category of Personal Information |
Purposes for Collection / Use / Disclosure |
Identifiers including real name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, IP address, email address, account name, or other similar identifiers |
|
Personal Information described in Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.80(e), including your name, signature, social security number, physical characteristics or description, address, telephone number, passport number, driver’s license or state identification card number, insurance policy number, education, employment, employment history, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number, or other financial information |
|
Characteristics of protected classifications under California or federal law, including age and date of birth, marital status, race, ancestry, ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or creed, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information, disability, marital status |
|
Commercial information, including records of products or services purchased, obtained, considered, or used (on behalf of the Entity you are affiliated with), or information related to incentives paid by us to you If you also interact with Ford as a consumer (e.g., you own or use Ford products outside of your business relationship with Ford), see our California Consumer Privacy Act Policy and Notice at Collection for those interacting with Ford in an individual or household capacity. |
|
Internet or other electronic network activity information, including browsing history, search history, and information regarding your interactions with our websites, applications, or advertisements |
|
Geolocation data, including location data inferred from your device IP address |
|
Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, or similar information, including closed-circuit images, photographs and video of you (such as for marketing materials), and audio recordings as may relate to your job functions |
|
Professional or employment-related information, including: Background information commonly used for required background checks and screenings Employee profile information (employee status, organization information, performance and talent information, employment background, functional experience, leadership experience, honors or awards, education, training, professional certifications, evaluations, developmental planning, career interests and development information, and other talent management and team-based assessments) |
|
Inferences used to create a profile reflecting your preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes |
|
We do not collect Sensitive Personal Information for the purpose of inferring characteristics about you. We do not use or disclose Sensitive Personal Information for purposes to which the right to limit use and disclosure applies under the CCPA.
Sources of Personal Information
We collected the Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information identified above from the following sources (whether we collected information from a specific source depends on the nature of your interaction with us):
- Directly from you. We collected information from you when provided it to us, such as in connection with a transaction, while interacting with our websites, when you called our call center, or while providing information in response to a survey.
- Automatically when using our digital services or visiting our premises. We collected information about you when you used our information technology services, including our websites.
- Created by us. We collected information about you that we created, such as credentials for access to our information technology systems or inferences generated from other information we collect.
- Service Providers. We collected information about you from certain service providers that provide information to help us run our business.
- Affiliates. We share Personal Information among the companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies and affiliates. We received information within this “family,” as permitted, to enable us to manage our business and workforce.
- Law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory agencies, and other government agencies. We may have received information from government agencies to comply with the law, to protect your personal safety or the safety of others, to protect our or others’ rights, or to investigate fraud.
- Outside parties. We may have received information about you from other outside parties when necessary to manage or operate our business. For example, in litigation settlements we may collect information about you from outside parties related to our tax reporting obligations.
- Parties to corporate transactions. As permitted by law, we may receive Personal Information as part of a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or at transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of a business or assets.
Disclosures of California Employee Personal Information
Within the preceding 12 months, we have not sold or shared for cross-context behavioral advertising the Personal Information described in this Notice. If you also interact with us as a consumer, please review our California Consumer Privacy Act Policy and Notice at Collection for those interacting with Ford in an individual or household capacity for more information about our practices in that context.
Within the preceding 12 months, we disclosed the Personal Information described in this Notice to Service Providers that help us run our business. We have also disclosed, or may disclose in the future, the Personal Information described in this Notice in other circumstances when required to or permitted by law. These circumstances include:
- disclosures among the companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies and affiliates, when permitted by law;
- disclosures to provide products or services requested by you;
- disclosures required or permitted by law to defend against legal claims;
- to law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory agencies and others when the disclosure is required or permitted by law, including to comply with valid legal process; and
- as part of a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or at transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of our business or assets.
How Long We Keep Your Personal Information
We keep the categories of Personal Information described above for as long as is necessary for the purposes described in this Notice or otherwise authorized by law.
This generally means holding each category of information for as long as one of the following criteria apply:
- whether your Personal Information is reasonably necessary to manage our operations, to manage your relationship with us, or to satisfy another purpose for which we collected the information;
- whether your Personal Information is reasonably necessary to carry out a disclosed purpose that is reasonably compatible with the context in which the information was Collected;
- whether the Personal Information is reasonably required to protect or defend our rights or property (which will generally relate to applicable laws that limit actions in a particular case); or
- whether we are otherwise required or permitted to keep your information by applicable laws or regulations.
Where information is used for more than one purpose, we may retain it until the purpose with the latest period expires. For more information about our retention policies, please contact us using the contact details below.
Submitting Requests Relating to Your Personal Information
If you are a resident of California, you also have the right to submit certain requests relating to your Personal Information as described below. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request through our webform or by calling us at 1-888-392-1291. Please note that, if you submit a request to know, request to delete or request to correct, you will be asked to provide 2-3 pieces of Personal Information that we will match against our records to verify your identity. You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf; however, you will still need to verify your identity directly with us before your request can be processed. An authorized agent may submit a request on your behalf using the webform or toll-free number listed above.
Right to Know. You have the right to know what Personal Information we have collected about you, which includes:
(1) The categories of Personal Information we have collected about you, including
a. The categories of sources from which the Personal Information was collected
b. Our business or commercial purposes for collecting Personal Information
c. The categories of third parties to which we disclose Personal Information
d. The categories of Personal Information that we disclosed for a business purpose, and for each category identified, the categories of third parties to which we disclosed that particular category of Personal Information
(2) The specific pieces of Personal Information we have collected about you
Right to Delete Your Personal Information. You have the right to request that we delete Personal Information we collected from you, subject to certain exceptions.
Right to Correct Inaccurate Information. If you believe that Personal Information we maintain about you is inaccurate, you have the right to request that we correct that information.
Right to Non-Discrimination for the Exercise of Your Privacy Rights. If you choose to exercise any of your privacy rights under the CCPA, you also have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment by us.