we just purchased a "new" Excursion (one of the last ones built - Sept. 05). I am concerned about theft. I hear these stories about "rings" of auto thieves who can steal most anything.

What about late model Ford products with the so-called "Security Key"? Is it true that a thief can get in, monkey around with the computer, and get away with our car ? How accurate is the Ford advertising that "it is impossible to start the motor without the correct key".

 

I went with a high-end alarm system with this obnoxious blue LED that blinks to let them know that it is there. I don't think, personally, that the "Passive Theft Protection" is worth very much.

 

you did not answer my question. you told me you "went" with some add-on system, but did not tell my why you did that. Do you have an earlier "stripped" model Excursion that does NOT have the "SecurityKey" anti theft/anti start system ? Or did you go "after market" because you dont trust the "SecurityKey" system. And if that is the case, WHY ? Specfically, are you aware of any thefts of Ford products that DO have the ""SecurityKey" "anti theft-start" system ? Discuss...please...

 

If you read my signature stuff under my post, you will see that I have the most modern X that there is, not an earlier version or a stripped one either. The why: I do not feel that the chip-in-the-key deal is much protection. Just my feeling from talking to others. No specific threats or occurances. I have never had a vehicle stolen. I always, however, put in a good alarm system.

By the way; a little coaching is in order, I think. You might want to be a little more polite in your posts if you want help/answers. This site is a huge treasuretrove of info about these vehicles and is full of very helpful people. You will get tons of help if only you are polite. I almost didn't respond.

 

CommercialNuke,


Maybe this guy/girl is one of the "thieves"


Someone better tell me how to f****n fix my X, damn it!

 

I am STILL waiting for SOMEONE who actually knows what they are talking about, to tell me the answer to my question.

Again, I have conflicting info - some people say they have a "feeling" that my Excursion's "SecurityKey" is not the total answer to car theft. Ford, in its literature, says the car simply can not be started without the "SecurityKey".

If Ford's "SecurityKey" is NOT a good anti-theft system...WHY.. if it can be over-ridden, we all need to know about it, so we can take counter-measures. As I noted in my orig. post, we got lucky and got one of the last ones built..it is a "creame puff" and I dont want to loose it.

Let me explain a little further. We live in on an isolated ranch in northern Arizona - the car stays in our garage. I am not worried about it getting tampered with here. I AM worried about leaving it parked over-night at various locations when we visit Los Angeles, because of what I have heard about rings of car thieves there. But again, if a car thief cant get it started, he is going to have to have heavy equipment to winch it on a trailer-I am not that worried about that.

Hopefully..SOMEONE who reads these posts actually KNOWS something about Ford's anti-theft systems, and/or knows about theft claim statistics, and can get me straightened out on this.

 

I'm done with him.

 

Everyone is getting so touchy-feely here. He asked a question and toldyou the response was not what he needed. It looked blunt to me, not hateful.

My answer is that the "Key" is not an "end all thefts" thing. There is a way around everything, the key is the time it takes to get around it. If it takes 2 hours, then it deter most. If it makes alot of noise it will deter some unless they can turn that off quickly. That is the deal with the CLUB, it does not stop all thefts, just the ones that can't quickly get around it.
In short, nothing is the answer, but the more you have the safer you are. I think a high end alarm with starter disable and a pager is very good. The pager tells you when the truck alarm is going off so you can take your gun to a criminal. PRICELESS!!

 

WOW... How's this for your answer... The PATS key isn't exactly the most effective thing in the world... All someone needs is a buddy in a Ford parts departmen... Take them your vin, they cut a key with the PATS in it and there goes the creampuff... If that doesn't answer your question as to how easy it is to get past I don't know what else to tell you...

I also agree with CommercialNuke, you should try to be alittle more polite to those that you're asking for help from... This board isn't Pirate4x4 its a nice community of helpfull folks... If you're used to being gruff with people I get the impression it aint going to cut it here... I'm new myself here too...

Oh and BTW, to advise something from one of your other posts... The Ford Expedition is based on the 1/2 ton Frame the F-150... The Excursion is based off the F-250 3/4 ton SuperDuty frame... You might want to check your research again, hopefully your salesman didn't give you that MISinformation...

 

thank you for trying to help. Since I did not see responses in here that were "on point" to my question, I subseqently did a little research. Here's what I found out. Let me preface this, by noting I am not a computer buff; I have a background in electronics, but my technical knowledge, while competent for the era I learned it in, is a bit out of date...SOoooo I have no idea if the information I am providing in this post is correct.

As you point out, sooner or later someone is going to figure out a way to beat the security systems. According to the research (again, I have NO idea how correct this is !) the way the big car thief organizations work is the following - they get hold of the same type Ford, with its keys, they want to steal.

They then break into your car, open the hood, and replace some device or computer component, with the one from the car they obainted earlier. The device or computer component "recognizes" the key that belongs to the car they aquired, and starts YOUR car - and off they go.

Soooo....anyone desiring to try and steal a nice new gold Excursion, take notice of the "rub on" decal that says

"WARNING - THIS CAR'S COMPUTER IS PROTECTED WITH
AN EXPLOSIVE ANTI THEFT DEVICE".

One way to reduce auto theft..is reduce the population of car thieves..

P.S...this is no joke.

 

i hope that you find the information that you are looking for.

On previous threads, I read someone who bought this kit thing for like $10 and it basically was an obnoxious LED that blinks whenever the key is not in the ignition, and stops when the car is turned on. It seems a lot more conspicuous than the little 'theft' light in the dash, and there is no way to know that it is just a bluff.

Then again, someone might call your bluff... But for that matter, they might own a tow truck...

Also, please dont anyone take this the wrong way... its not meant to be rude... but ive noticed that if people aren't responding to a given thread, its not that they are ignoring it, its just that nobody knows the answer. So the only people that respond in that case may just be just people with opinions or what they did, not necessarily an answer to the exact questinon asked(i know i'm guilty of that on occaision)

Isaac

 

One can always install a hidden toggle switch that keeps the fuel pump deactivated. That would take too much time for a crook to diagnose or locate.

Regardless of the electronic gimmicks put in use, none of the anti-theft measures mentioned above will thwart a tow truck. Can you say, "Wheel lift that fits under the bed of a standard pick-up truck?"

If you're that concerned about auto theft, have you considered moving to a nicer neighborhood?

 

thank you for your contribution - you have the best idea I have heard yet (hidden fuel pump switch). Anything that would slow the car thief down, obviously, is of value. Since I am self-insured, I most certaily would not be happy with the damage resulting from an explosive anti theft device, but the idea is reducing the population of car thieves is certainly attractive. I am going to try and figure out the wiring of this monster, in the hopes that I can isolate the "lead" to the fuel pump (probably inside the fuel tank itself), and hopefully slow any thief down that way.

please--please..do NOT take this personally - I am going to use you as an example, without meaning to insult you individually - my personal prejudice is that one of the many signs of the decline of our culture, is the loss of "precision" in thinking and reading comprehension. Had you understood my posts in their entirety, you would have seen that my own neigbhborhood is not the problem ! We are in an isolated ranch in northern Arizona, with very serious and very excellent security - if someone was dumb enough to try and get at my Excursion here, they'd need a fire team with better marksman and heavier weapons than we have access to here...! And they'd still probably loose - you know the old joke. Age and pure mean-ness out-does youth and enthusiasm any time.....!

 

Then I will assume that you, like me, have a CWP and pack anywhere legally allowed. It's amazing the small package-size nowadays of the mechanisms that can volley several rounds of 45ACP. 7.62NATO (.308) works real well in a "reach out and touch someone" scenario ... can group 'em in a 3" circle at 100 yards with iron sights.

BTW, I love the countryside out your way ... have stayed in Flagstaff, Kingman, Phoenix, Barstow (CA) & Las Vegas on three separate driving trips out there. Coming back to the east coast caused some claustrophobia ... and here along the coast is flatland. If you're not on the water, you can only see as far as the next building or patch of woods.

One last thing ... WELCOME to the X-Files!

 

hot dayum....you can make a 3" group at 100 yards...with a HANDgun...? I know what I will call you from now on........F R I E N D ! When I was a kid in the service..I scored 3rd highest in div., "Expert" rifleman..dont think I had to make aa 3" group at 100 yards to get that, with the standard service rifle of that era ( U.S. Rifle Cal. 30 M-1) (which some people call the "Garand").

Seriously, IF I can figure out 1) how to get to the power "lead" to the fuel pump (again..am assuming the pump is in or near the fuel tank) I will install a hidden "kill" switch to prevent a thief from running the motor.

2) Next step is one of those "boots". Couple of hundred bucks. Not that clumsy to install and remove. Downside..is that I hear some of the car thief organizations carry small cans of nitrogen..they use that to "freeze" any metal object..which then shatters with even the light tap of a hammer.

In the meantime..hoping someone will respond IN DETAIL to my original question in this threat...!