I am getting tired of this. 3 times in eight months my '05 F-250 has been broken into. The dealer knows me well. The cops and the dealer both told me that every car thief out there knows the Ford 250's and 350's are the easiest vehicles to get into. The door handles are the weak point. A screw driver is all it takes to get the door open. It takes 2 seconds. The first two times they went into the drivers side, breaking the door lock and bending the door metal. Each time this happens my truck is in the dealer for 10 days. Since I can't be without my truck for that long, I've decided to sell it. I just wonder how many others stay away from the SD's for this same reason. I was not parked in bad areas. Two times I was in an upscale shopping center and the latest was at a downtown meter on a busy street. The first two times they were looking for items in the truck. I never leave anything out in view. I have to take by briefcase in everywhere I go because this truck is such a target. It is very inconvenient to not be able to leave anything in my truck given that it does not have anywhere to stash my belongings. The latest break in was an atempt to steal the truck. The cop who filled ot the report says the 250's and 350's are on the "hot list" of thieves. He gets 4-5 calls a day of them getting boosted in the downtown Houston area alone. The thief who tried to get mine was a moron. He just tore up the ignition switch to the point my key would not go in. He must have just beat it with the end of his screwdriver trying to get it to start. I love my truck but just can't deal with having it broken into this often. My insurance has to be wondering why I keep getting hit too. I see that Ford did not address this weak area in the 08. My dealer says Ford knows good and well about the issue but they don't care. Well, Ford, guess what, I do. I won't be driving your trucks until you get this problem fixed. There is no other substitute for a Ford SD but I will have to get something else for my business that does not leave me so exposed. The funny thing is, before we took in all the dregs from New Orleans, my truck was not touched. Thanks hurricane Katrina!

 

Get the rear handles off a crewcab or Excursion, they dont have the keyhole in them, then just use your remote to open the truck.

 

There was an aftermarket plate (Jimmi Jammer) discussed here a while ago. Do a search as it is inserted inside the door against the handles and really stops these type of break -in's.

http://www.jimmijammer.com/Product,%20JJ.htm

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. The dealer has lots of experience with both the plates and the rear door handles installed in the front. The dealer said that these just make it harder to get in and may prevent a break in but the problem is that if the thief tries to get in, (which he will still try), the damage to the truck is done and back to the dealer for a week the truck goes. I no longer can keep anything in my truck so there is nothing to steal but the truck itself. My problem is that the thieves are stupid and desperate and just mess up my truck each time. It is the repair hassle I can't live with....well, that and these Katrina evacuees who break into Ford trucks.

 

True BUT they only screw up the door verses the ignition, etc. Why let the A-holes of the world dictate your life? Good luck!

 

Did you have any type of alarm? I know my old 01 did not have an alarm and it was broken into. My 04 has one and so far they have not touched it.

 

Thats why I carry a CCL and a SIG P226 on me at all times.. Plus my alarm can alert me up to a mile away by notification I just dare someone to start tinkering with it.. Thanks to Perry for the new castle law

 

You might comnsider an active alarm system. Some of the better ones have a proximity alarm that detects when some one is too close or is touching the vehicle. They give off a warning something like "Step away from the vehicle or the alarm will go off".

Thieves are usually lazy so anything that makes their job a little harder can make them pass your truck for another.

A cheap alternative would be big decals on the windows saying you have an alarm etc. And be sure you have at least a noisemaker to back it up.

People do ignore noise makers but it does draw attention to your vehicle, which is something thieves don't want.

Put in a fuel pump cutoff somewhere. My truck has just a wire loop/plug installed in one of the wires under the dash. When I need to make sure my truck is hard to start, I take the loop/plug with me. The engine may crank but it won't start unless a thief takes the time to figure out what wire is open. Most thieves don't want to take the time.

Almost any vehicle is easy to steal if you know what to look for. A fdriend of mine had his VW broken into at least once a year. Each time the thief caused about $1,000 of damage to get his stereo.

I have personally slim jimmed several cars, for charitable reasons of course. It is easy to do. Many of the big trucks have sliding rear windows, very easy to open and after a few years the little plastic tab that locks the windows wears out so the window isn't even locked.

You need to add protection and warnings so the casual thief will pass you by. The cost of an alarm and stickers is usually way less expensive than repairing the damage some dufus causes when he breaks in to steal your briefcase.

I still wish we could buy the flamethrower type alarms they do sell in South Africa, coool.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

I have a Viper 5900 with GPS.. Best money I ever invested! I have glass break sensors, Toolbox sensor (goes in when my new box comes in.. waiting), 5 layers of security.. Every door is sensored and every window.. The hood is sensored..

Spent over $1200 for it and I wouldn't of thought twice.. I can read it from a mile away.. Unlock it and remote start it.. Not that I do that but I know the signal reaches that distance for me..

 

I was looking at the 2 way alarms and 3 different installers warned me about the crappy battery life on the LCD remotes, especially Viper. Do a little searching and you'll find tons of people complaining about dead remote batteries and dropped remotes causing them to be rendered useless. A guy in DC that does hundreds of these each month said to look at the http://www.avital.com/ alarms. Same company as Viper, but *MUCH* better battery life and overall performance at about the same price. Just an FYI...

I'm going with a integrated alarm that uses the factory remotes as I don't want a remote that looks like a cell phone!

 

moosekingranch,

I also live in Houston and I feel your pain. My 04 F250 was broken into at the Home Depot on 610 back in January. They punched lock out of the passenger side door lock
and then stuck a screwdriver in the ignition, but they apparently realized there was somene in the van behind me and I guess they panicked. Cost me just under $500.
for new lock, ignition switch and tow. Police came out and took my info and the officer told me that they get a lot of calls from Home Depots and Walmarts for auto theft.
I have since sold this truck and bought an 03 F250 which I still have not purchased an alarm for. Don't let these thieves keep you from owning the truck you want. I need to quit stalling an buy an alarm or anti theft device (Ravelco) myself before I lose my truck.
Hang in there!

 

Hmm.. My LCD remote is just fine.. I use Energizer E2 batteries.. Pretty damn expensive.. Its been in 2 months and it's still full.. I get transmit update every minute.. I've dropped mine 4 times already and it works just fine.. I'm happy with my alarm, works just fine for me..

 

It seems to me after serveral year of watching this board and others that here in Houston area most of the trucks that get broken into don't have an alarm or even a flashing LED. I am not saying that prevents it. It just seems they move on to another truck.
I have not installed the JJ yet because I fear they will just do more damge to the door then take a spring loaded center punch to the window.

 

I have a $100 deduct on comprehensive claims like this so I can live with the cost. What I hate it the lost time and use. Nothing seems to prevent this. Everything can be fixed that these thieves mess up. I blame Ford for making it so easy to break in. They have had numurous updates (05, 08 etc) to engines, bodies and interiors but they won't fix this issue. My truck has spent more time in the shop getting door handles replaced than all other vehicles I've owned combined shop time. Even if I put in an alarm, it does not go off until the handle is torn up. Will someone please invent a system that will put 50,000 volts through the nuts of anyone who touches my door handle without asking me first. I'm caling Q in England and see if he can put together something for me. Then maybe I will keep the truck I love.

The Jimmi Jammer site is helpful for chosing my next vehicle. I just look at the list of makes and models that they make their products for and scratch em off my list.

 

That has to be the single wisest comment I have read on FTE. No kidding!