I've been waiting in anticipation for the new F-150, having also become a Ford enthusiast several years ago, and I'm running into one particular problem that I'd like to ask about before I say something silly in a market that doesn't seem to care.

I'm interested in a key-lock ignition system that is devoid of all electronic interference between the starter, fuel injectors, and computer modules. In other words, if you can open the door and turn the key in the ignition, you can start the engine and drive, even in the presence of intense radio frequency interference or an electronic lock malfunction associated with the PATS / SecuriLock feature that seems to be nearly unavoidable in the consumer market. I know that it exists because I've held the Ford keys that don't have the radio frequency identification chip, but those were government cars. Well, I want that same key system, the old system from earlier decades.

Why? My first bad experience with radio frequency keys happened when I bought a new car in the early 2000s. It worked fine for awhile, but one day I tried to start the car and the engine died after starting. I tried again and again, but to no avail as the engine died and the security light on the dashboard flashed at me. The car that I had before that had an anti-theft system, but the keys were standard and easily duplicated. I had no clue about what the chipped keys did, other than what I read in the printed manual, but I was stranded and had to get the car towed to a dealership. I spent the next two days without my new car, while the dealership attempted to fix it. They replaced computer modules to the tune of several thousand dollars in parts and labor. That was annoying and expensive, and I was just glad that most of the bill was covered by warranty.

Something similar happened when the same car experienced another failure of its anti-theft system, due to the presence of other radio frequency devices inside the vehicle. The car refused to start until the other devices were removed. This problem is amplified when it's not a passive device like a card transponder, but an active radio transmitter in proximity to the vehicle, which sets off all sorts of detectable interference and disrupts everything from remote controls to television signals.

Some browsing of the Web has revealed many vehicle owners who have been stranded by anti-theft systems. Suggestions include towing the car and trickery involving things like disconnecting the battery, waiting ten minutes, dancing around the car, walking the key away from the vehicle, turning the key back and forth, locking and unlocking the doors, and so on. Other solutions involve bypass techniques that create a false radio signal, and that's nice, but what happens if you need the vehicle to start without doing any of that, and the radio interference or anti-theft system malfunction can't be cleared?

Why do I care? Because I'll be getting into situations and hostile environments in which a failure of an anti-theft system could be life-threatening. Towing is not an option, nor is waiting minutes or hours to disconnect the battery and hope that the system resets while waving the key across the dashboard. When it's below-zero temperatures outside and there's a violent storm moving in, the vehicle needs to start now, not tomorrow or next week. At least if there's a mechanical problem like a broken drivetrain component, the engine will still run and the vehicle can provide warmth while a rescue party is hopefully able to respond. If the engine won't even run, there's no heater, and that could be deadly by itself. I'm guessing that the PATS / SecuriLock feature is not guaranteed to function to a fail-safe standard in an emergency, and there doesn't seem to be an override once the mechanical key is presented to the ignition keyway.

From what I've read so far, PATS / SecuriLock disables numerous critical components such as the PCM and fuel injectors. I have to say that this is very foolish to design a vehicle that can be disabled with an electronic "success" by an anti-theft system, while providing no means to quickly override the lockout in an emergency situation. It may make some sense when you're trying to keep out casual thieves in some major population center where civil services are always available, but not when you're in an area where there are more animals than humans and help is more than an hour away, assuming that the communications are working and they can get to you by helicopter. If they can't reach you, that vehicle becomes your shelter or escape from danger, and it needs to work.

In these remote places, theft is the least of your problems. Temperature exposure, becoming lost, crashing, and encountering large animals are far more likely. I have never had a vehicle break-in, attempted theft or vandalism by a human, anywhere. There was one memorable incident involving a bear trying to get at the parked vehicle, and we got out of there real quick. I can only think that if our vehicle had failed because of an anti-theft failure, the situation could have turned deep-south in a hurry. He clearly wanted us to know that we were in his territory.

There's also the cost of dealing with chipped keys. I want to be able to obtain multiple copies of the key so that everyone in a workgroup has a key, and I don't want to deal with expensive or complicated key reprogramming. If someone loses a key or forgets to return it, I can just replace it with an inexpensive copy. No need to find two chipped keys, buy an expensive third key, and fiddle with wireless reprogramming of the keys. I also want to be able to swap out vehicle components without having to worry about one of those components being unusable because the anti-theft system doesn't like it. I want it to work like the old days when keys and ignition locks were simple. This also lends itself to the possibility of being able to get a second vehicle that opens and starts with the same key.

I would also guess that the Gone in 60 Seconds plan still applies to an experienced thief. The vehicle is more likely to be broken into by a bear who wants the food in the storage compartments. My nightmare is that I'll be out in some remote area when the truck refuses to start, the weather gets bad, and a rugged trip turns deadly because of a stupid and stubborn security system that wrongly-assumes that the truck is being stolen by the only humans for many miles around. I remember one story of a family that became stranded on a mountain road and froze to death in a disabled vehicle, and I don't want that to ever happen to me due to something that I know could be the unnecessary cause of a deadly problem.

Has anyone here put in a dealer request to have a recent-model Ford truck made with the SecuriLock-DELETE flag on the order? If the truck is purchased with SecuriLock, can a dealer strip it from the vehicle such that no radio frequency signal is required for operation? Thanks for your insight.

 

I understand your concern, but to be honest, I've never heard of anyone removing the PATS/securilock system, or any ability to have it removed.

If heat in freezing temps is a life-or-death scenario, I'd suggest that relying on the engine is foolish anyway. Maybe a backup system like a small genny with an electric heater, or a stove or something is more failsafe?

 

Wouldn't a remote start function bypass the PATS system?

 

Remote starts do bypass the PATS, but not in any way that seems like it would be useful for his purposes. They certainly don't remove the PATS and make the ignition circuit simpler.

 

There appears to be a way to do what I want. The SecuriLock-delete option is available on the F-150 and other sedans, along with a Ford key replication scheme that also supports cheap key-blanks. I was just holding a key in my hand that was made from a cheap blank, and it starts the vehicle just fine.

Another way around SecuriLock is to disable the anti-theft system by tampering with the module that sends the Pass code to the other components in the chain that then enable to start the vehicle, but that costs more money than letting the manufacturer do it. There are vulnerabilities that can be exploited once the engine compartment is exposed, and disabling SecuriLock doesn't appear to disable the ability to remote-start because that signal is independent of the ignition signal. SecuriLock appears to be more of an annoyance to a casual thief than anything that would slow down someone more knowledgeable and properly equipped. I believe that an effective security system is one that trips a silent alarm that then triggers a tracking signal and summons armed guards to the location, which is also useful when there's a problem and regular communications are unavailable.

I'll have to make a decision about whether it's worth doing a factory-order or just going with the dealer's regular package and then frying SecuriLock or leaving it alone with the option to rip it out later. I can test it against an RF burst to see how much shielding is protecting the thing from interference. Regardless, I'm going for a second test drive this month. I'm thinking about taking a V-8 model out for a roar, having tried an EcoBoost last time. The 2015 models are starting to roll in to the dealerships with increasing quantities now. I saw a Platinum model on the road today, which is that $70,000 luxury vehicle that reportedly is a big seller in today's market. I'm still impressed by how much truck can be bought with not a whole lot of money, while the rest of the market is pushing for luxury SUVs and Crossovers that have only a fraction of the capabilities of the original trucks.

I think this is going to be a fun upgrade!

 

I'm putting on my tin foil hat in order to keep following this thread.

 

Remote starts (OEM or otherwise) do not bypass the PATS system.

Vehicles that are not CGEA and use an OEM or aftermarket remote start install a Securilock interface kit that programs and "acts" as a 3rd programmed key in the system. This is both for OEM and aftermarket. The trick to these is that they only power on when the remote start is activated, and immediately power off when you touch the remote start module powers down, such as tapping on the brakes. However, I have seen some hack job installs where an actual cut/programmed key was zip tied up in the steering column rather than using a proper interface kit.

Vehicles that are CGEA (such as the current F-Series since 2011) have OEM remote starts that are already built into the calibrations. Add the necessary hardware (depending on the system purchased) and then "turn on" remote start with IDS. All functionality is controlled electronically with built in software, including communicating with the PATS system and maintaining proper security function.

Me too.

Vehicle manufacturers add built in vehicle immobilizers specifically to thwart vehicle theft. Sure not everyone wants it, but it's a necessary evil and better than the alternative of not having anything. Also having a tiered approach to security is the best way to deter vehicle theft, with built in immobilizers and radio frequency keys being a very important part.

Given the complexity of PATS, it's actually a very reliable setup. Failures are few, and most failures I've experienced first hand are normally due to aftermarket (non-OEM) add-ons such as alarms. It's rare that a bone stock untampered system fails by itself, it's usually related to something else going on with the vehicle.

To answer the OP's question, if a vehicle has PATS, you cannot disable it. As for ordering without PATS, I'm not sure if that's an option for much of anything beyond a handful of vehicles for law enforcement. I could be wrong there as I don't deal too much with those types of orders.

 

I don't think the issue is how to disable the Securilock so much as it is to find a way around the outrageous scam of key prices. There is no way that these keys can cost more than a dollar more to make than a normal key. You can buy excellent little laser pointers at the dollar store and they work great. Why are they charging more than that for a Securilock key? Because they've got you by the short and curlies if you need one, that's why, and they are taking advantage of your desperation and ripping you off. Total scam. I can't believe consumer advocate agencies allow this sort of thing.

 

It is possible to get programmable keys off ebay and other places online. I've done it. Programming them can be a pain, and may require someone with some advanced computer equipment. Handy that I had a ford tech stop by my place one day and program them for free with his diagnostic laptop...

 

i wonder if they will let you special order from the factory with out that?

 

Even the cheap keys have chips and require programming in them, but PATS and SecuriLock are standard starting at Lariat. If you are buying the truck for a company for these "hostile" situations there is a commercial upfit rebate that may help install an override system, however, from the penny pinching you seem concerned about it doesn't quite sound like that would be the case.... There is a whole list of reasons factory civilian models aren't used in combat by the armed forces. If you contact some of the upfitters who do work for the contractors overseas you'll probably find a better knowledge base than what we have.

 

Penny pinching?
You think not wanting to pay $80 for a key that should cost $5 is penny pinching?
I call it gouging on the other side. Criminal gouging.

 

but but but it's all in the name of security and peace of mind...
that was my sarcastic tone in case anyone missed it.
is penny pinching supposed to be an insult? Since when it is wrong to save a penny? and want your vehicle your way?

 

I didn't mean to insult. I drive a 1995 F150 that was traded in and deemed unsuitable for the public as well as a 2015 Fiesta S (crank windows and manual transmission). So I'm a cheap ******* myself.

What I mean is if you're building a vehicle for the type of duty the OP stated then this is indeed getting into the nitty gritty. Upfits for "hazard duty" cost thousands and getting it right can make the difference between life and death as the OP said. Sure, if it was a factory option that'd be nice, but there are so many electronics one would want overridden for combat that concern of the key is indeed a bit amusing to me.

If you get a chipped key cut you can program it yourself as long as you have at least two good keys. Your salesperson should be happy to help you with this. If not, then yes, Ford programmed it to require dealership computers to have done. I used to get the cheaper $50 keys cut as spares for folks with the expensive button keys, but the last time I tried this it refused to accept programming on several keys we tried. Ford might have clamped down on what works and what doesn't. I do think that's a shame if thats the case. We cut the "proper" key and it programmed fine.

 

I don't know about the Ford system, but I can disable vehicle anti-theft in Chevy engine ECM using an aftermarket programmer, such as HP Tuner. I have to in order to swap engine in to older car. Then I jump a wire or two in the vehicle to bypass any key encoder that might be present, and viola! No more security and a normal key works.