Ford Medium Dark Parchment (Interior) (FA81241) Touch Up Paint

The Look

If you own a 2002 Explorer or that house-on-wheels known as the Excursion, you likely know this color as the backdrop of your daily commute. It is the quintessential early-2000s tan. While it was designed to hide the dust and scuffs of family life, this shade provides a warmth that modern "clinical" grays just can't match. It doesn't scream for attention, but it holds the whole cabin together by making the interior feel more like a living room and less like a plastic cockpit.

Technical Details

This finish is more complex than a standard flat beige. While it serves as a solid base, the mix for Ford Medium Dark Parchment (Interior) (check for code FA81241) often contains incredibly fine pigments that mimic a slight metallic depth. This helps the color blend into the textured grain of your dash or door panels. Because of this depth, you run a minor risk of mottling-those annoying dark spots or stripes-if the paint pools in the low spots of the plastic grain. Keeping your layers light is the only way to maintain the factory look.

Best Practices

To find your confirmation, open the driver's side door and look at the VIN sticker on the pillar; you are searching for the "INT TR" or "Trim" section. Since your Ford has likely seen two decades of sun and coffee spills, you need to be precise. Shake the container for at least 60 seconds to ensure the heavier pigments are fully suspended. Before you apply anything to your trim, test the color on the included card and hold it up against your interior in natural light. When you are ready to fix that scuff, keep the container moving across the surface to prevent the paint from flooding the texture. Let it have plenty of drying time between coats so the finish sets flat and stays durable.