Is Your Truck’s Tech a Target for Thieves?

By -

Is Your Truck's Tech a Target for Thieves?

A security flaw may have made it possible for thieves to steal this 2019 F-150.

The Ford F-150 is America’s best selling car, and it’s a top sales performer in Canada, too. Unfortunately, that makes the Ford F-150 an attractive target for thieves.

Due to their popularity, there’s a large market for parts. Everything from tailgates to turn signal stalks becomes a hot commodity – literally. We’re not saying that every F-150 owner needs to sleep with one eye open. However, it is a serious problem that you should be aware of.

Is Your Truck's Tech a Target for Thieves?

In fact, the Ford F-150 has been appearing near the top of the lists of the most frequently stolen vehicles in the US and Canada. Some of that may have to do with the fact that car thieves can be opportunistic. There’s more F-150s around than anything else, so of course more get stolen as a result.

High Tech, Low Security

However, Ford Authority has a different theory. Is the technology designed to make our lives easier actually leaving us vulnerable to theft? It’s a compelling thought.

Is Your Truck's Tech a Target for Thieves?

We’ve all seen how they do it in the movies. In the old days, they’d pop the lock with a coat hanger, bust open the steering column, and jump two wires to get the car started. These days, thieves are more high tech, like our trucks. This makes them more effective and more dangerous.

Apparently, a tech security expert discovered a flaw in Ford’s keyfob system that allows nearby thieves to capture the signal used to unlock your car out of thin air. They can then use this to access your car and get away more quickly and more quietly than ever.

All a thief has to do is lay in wait for you to unlock your car, grab the signal, and exercise patience until an opportunity presents itself. What’s even more frightening is that, as far as the car can tell, there’s nothing to be concerned about, so the alarm never sounds.

The Ontario Provincal Police in Ontario, Canada recently shared a video of a 2019 Ford F-150 being stolen with remarkable ease on Twitter. We don’t have confirmation that this security flaw is a factor. That said, few things would explain how easily thieves made off with this truck.

Photos: Ford/Ontario Provincial Police via Ford Authority

Join the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums now!

Cam VanDerHorst has been a contributor to Internet Brands' Auto Group sites for over three years, with his byline appearing on Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Corvette Forum, JK Forum, and Harley-Davidson Forums, among others. In that time, he's also contributed to Autoweek, The Drive, and Scale Auto Magazine.

He bought his first car at age 14 -- a 1978 Ford Mustang II -- and since then he’s amassed an impressive and diverse collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, including a 1996 Ford Mustang SVT Mystic Cobra (#683) and a classic air-cooled Porsche 911.

In addition to writing about cars and wrenching on them in his spare time, he enjoys playing music (drums and ukulele), building model cars, and tending to his chickens.

You can follow Cam, his cars, his bikes, and his chickens at @camvanderhorst on Instagram.

How to Guides

View All >
Top 10 Fords from a Secret Museum You’ve Never Heard Of
Slideshow: Ten of the best Fords on display at a museum you never heard of.
Read It
This Wild Ford Maverick Was Built to Carve Corners
Slideshow: It's good at more than just hauling stuff.
Read It
Refreshed Ford F-150 Raptor vs All-New Ram 1500 RHO: Comparison
Slideshow: The off-road pickup battle has changed a bit.
Read It
The Pros & Cons of Ford’s Most Popular F-Series Engines (2.7L, 3.5L, 5.0L, 6.7L, 7.3L)
Slideshow: Pros and cons of the most popular Ford F-series truck engines you can buy today.
Read It

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:58 PM.