In 2008 these pickups were built ready for just about everything from the factory, maybe just missing a wiring harness or two.

Are they still this way in 2025?

I'd like to add proximity entry and push-button start to my '25 XL. I'm just wondering if anyone has done this before I start digging into the hardware and build data that needs to be changed. I'm also looking for any insights as to which modules are tied together. It seems this option was only available in conjunction with certain other features.

 

My buddy has an XLT, he looked into installing push button start and said it was a no-go. I miss it as well. I keep trying to push the key cylinder by habit, then have to fish the key out of my pocket.

 

My last two cars, and my wife's explorer are push start.
I have found it oddly refreshing having a key start and a column shifter, and non-electric steering.

Add to that, unless you keep your prox fob in a faraday bag or far away from the truck where a repeater cannot be used, thieves can steal your ride in a matter of seconds without ever touching your fob.

 

The key doesn't change that much. The key'd vehicles are still push to start it just isn't finger push it's key pushed. If you just bump the key into start and release it, it starts just like a push button.

 

Depending on where you live, this is important. I use a signal blocker box. Just be sure you have enough room in your box for the keys to all your cars. Many are designed for 3-4 fobs, but if you have 6-10 keys between you, the wife, the kids, etc. (2 kids and 2 cars can mean 8 fobs), this can get cramped real quick, especially if you have other keys on your ring like a house key, roof rack key, etc.

 

rfid push button start one of the worst things we ever did to vehicles, but it's human nature to occams razor the right solution off the hop then in the name of convenience we open a big can of worms and have to solve for catching them all and trying to stuff them back in the can...which we can't in this case, 100% care and control of starting and stopping, no 'air' connection to this process, it's a theft nightmare, and it's also a don't fire it up and drive off with the keys still in the house by accident, or drop the vehicle to someone while key still in your pocket or whatever...you should not be able to start OR STOP your vehicle from the DRIVER ONLY position without a physical connection, your the one liable, you're the one on the pink slip, yada yada.....just my not so humble opinion

keyed ignition is a refreshing blessing in a modern vehicle...my maverick xl has it too, love it....hate the button on my chev and i had a manual gladiator previously with the button too and couldn't freakin stand it....base jeep and it had rfid push button start....i can't even talk about it i get so mad, so glad that pos is no longer mine

 

If someone wants to steal something badly enough, they're going to. Bags, boxes, cages, tinfoil hats notwithstanding. I don't want to have to use a physical key or fob to get into and start my vehicles if I have the option not to. Even my motorcycle has keyless ride....no fumbling with a key for the ignition or fuel filler.

I wish the blue oval offered PAAK for mainstream vehicles because not having to carry fobs or keys around is even better in my book. My wife's car has it and I thought it was gimmicky at first, but after a while it's nice to just be able to get in and go.

 

I don't necessarily mind push button if it the fob has a way to be turned off. In my 4runner you can turn if off via a sequence of pushing lock and unlock buttons and after that you can use the embedded key to open the door and then push the fob against the push button to start. It does enable itself again if you then push any of the button on the fob though once enabled it will still broadcast the signal until turned off again. Better than nothing I suppose, saves the battery in the fob tremendously too. I don't know if Ford system has a way for the continuous RF signal to be stopped.

I was very pleased to see for 2026 they still have the switchblade key for SDs on XL line at least. I like being able to reach in and start the truck on a hot day and not get into the cabin that has been cooking in the sun, let the AC work a few minutes before getting in.

 

one step closer to a tesla, where drivers license comes in the glove box with purchase, even though full care and control can be taken from you at any time by people, ai, whatever, full auto-pilot etc. and they get you to pay for the next step in your slavery for easy geo fencing and keeping you to your sector in the 15 minute city etc. and not only do you pay for the enslavement you are the one listed on the pink card and registration...it's freakin hilarious how clueless and convenience obsessed we've been lulled into.....'in the name of convenience', anywhoooo, y'all do you, wanna be ignorant frog in the pot carry on, you're about 6 years behind available information about it all, and only one group is proven correct year in year out about everything so, keep poking fun at the tinfoil hatters haha, it's amusing as all get out at this point, they haven't been 'theories' for years and years now

but it is a choice to know, you don't wanna know then it's 100% on you, choose to be informed, or ignorant, it's a choice, world is doing great lol, nothing to worry about, no agenda's, no plans....hahaha, good luck with that, keep your head in the sand as long as you possibly can so you can remain comfortable...that's all that matters right?

for those who dislike the journey and only care about the destination, tesla is definitely your car, super duty trucks is not where to have all that crap, big shout out to Ford and the engineers that also get this, that give us keyed ignition and a spy box you can unplug without tools in 3 minutes flat...they design things almost as if they understand and also want to be able to easily disable for themselves

bigger than the ease of theft issue are the other issues related to pink slips and registrations regarding who can start and stop your vehicle or take any kind of control of it, anything outside the driver is no no, being connected by thin air to someone else's computers is a no no, they are not listed on the pink card or registration

 

Agreed. Actual gauges and buttons on a truck designed to work is nice.

New cars come and go, one would need to pry the PATS keys to my 2006 Panther body from my cold dead fingers.

 

less is more

 

I like keyless start and miss it.

One day we all die.

One day the sun will supernova and fry earth to a crisp.

Will keyless start or the ability to steal your truck matter when one or both of those events occur?

 

make common sense great again lol

should at least keep the forum section hopping for a few extra minutes

it's not like piloting a few tons of death through public spaces at high speeds requires any special skills, knowledge, or liability or anything, by all means minimize the true seriousness of it all and ignore who all is responsible for the thing etc. and as many ways by thin air to connect to it or operate it as possible....yeah, good stuff

it takes more effort to jump up into these trucks than to find and turn a key or fold a mirror lol..., this is how far we've come, whining about a button, fercryinoutloud