My 2005 F350 was broken into at a mall parking lot in Fresno, CA a few days ago. They punched in the passenger door lock and got in pretty easily. The scumbags got away with some really good stuff:

An iPod holder with FM transmitter that worked so poorly I had quit using it.; A Wal-Mart auto tool kit, years old and missing several socket.; A leather wallet that contained about 2 dozen grocery cards collected over years of fulltime RV traveling.; A lightweight leather jacket that I kept in the back seat for whenever I had to crawl under the truck.

All together, their booty wouldn't fetch $25 at a flea market.

What they left: About $100 worth of steaks and wine that I had just picked up at Costco, and $75 worth of brass/copper fittings for a propane line.

The door lock repair was done by a body shop I was refered to by GMAC, and cost $140 to fix. A lot better than the quote I got from Ford.

Now, here is what really as me fired up. I thought it odd that the truck alarm didn't attract any attention. After the repair was done, I checked and found the the alarm still didn't work.

Went back and read the owners manual, AND THERE IS NO ALARM SYSTEM!!!! Aside from automatic door locks, and a panic alarm, there is nothing else. I have been laboring under the impression that the Advanced Security Group option included a security alarm. No wonder it was so easy for them to get into the truck. I feel like a real idiot.

Guess I'll be visiting an alarm shop soon. Any suggestions on what I should get?

 

Roadie, sorry to hear about your breakin, it does suck. Same just happened to me, but the rats also tore out my ignition.

I have not done it yet, but considering doing the Jimmi Jammers mod, and of course the alarm system. I looked at security alarms, only at Best Buy, around $300 installed for a Viper system that looked pretty good. After the holidays, I will look in earnest.

Good luck, hope it doesn't happen again. Cops out here in Arizona tell me Ford trucks are pick of the litter for stealing. I am pretty paranoid until I get better protection.

 

Make sure that the alarm system you get... that if it has the remote start option is made for diesels.

Why... when using a remote start... diesels need the several seconds delay to heat the glow plugs and not all systems have or allow this delay.

 

I have the viper 5900 and I love it...It seems to work well with the glow plugs it is set on a 10 second delay...there is nothing better than a warm truck when you jump in to it.

 

I have been hit twice and both times they took nothing. I think the alarm noise scared them away when they got the door open. My alarm indicates what the triger point was when it goes off on the key chain remote so I knew that the door was opened.

After the first time I added a second alarm siren and wired it up to my train horns. If the alarm is going off and you open a door it sounds the train horn. I wired it that way so the horns would not sound if it was just a false alarm which happens every so often.

Both times they just used something to turn the entire lock inside the handle housing. Now i dont have a key lock on any of the doors only the key pad as a backup to my remote. These trucks are way too easy to get into.

Good job Ford! Putting the door lock in a plastic handle held in with a paper clip.

 

Can't you also just install rear door handles on the front doors as well? I've always been somewhat wary of this, as it would suck if your battery ran dead, and you can't use the auto locks!

 

I just plugged up the hole and filled it with epoxy. Yes it would suck if the battery went dead. You could always get power to the truck through the 7-way trailer plug so the locks would work.

 

keyless door handles are not the complete solution. A thin screwdriver under the plastic door handle insert (and through the door sheet metal) will dislodge the lock rod.

 

Take a look at this site, Ravelco Anti Theft Device. They might get in but their not going to steal it. It's pretty impressive.

 

If there is no key lock then there would be nothing for the lock rod to connect to on the handle side. But im sure some idiot will try and tear up my door trying.

Note: Found metal handles $215 a pair for polished aluminum. At Autoanything.com made by AMI Billet Door Handle Assemblies

 

A friend of mine has a viper alarm with all the options and it's really nice. I think it cost him $800 but he said it well worth it because he has a pretty new modded infinite. He also did something to make it louder, you can here the thing 2 blocks away when it goes off.

 

From what the jimmi jammers folks told me, they get to the rod that comes from the mechanism that responds to the electronic signal from the remote (a different rod than the lkey ock rod). Maybe this is not true.


This is in their FAQ section:

Q: If I replace the front door handles on my Super Duty or Excursion with rear door handles to get rid of the lock cylinder altogether, will that be enough to protect my vehicle?
A: NO! Although replacing the front handles with rear handles is possible, and may serve as a somewhat effective visual deterrent, entry can still be gained by prying under the handle and grabbing the lock rod at the door latch. If you plan to swap handles, you can easily add our Jimmi' Jammer™ rear door kit (PN 103010) to both the front and rear doors to prevent thieves from getting to the latch with a wire or thin tool.

 

Not sure what rod they are refering to. Maybe the rod for the inside manual lock button? Ill take my door panel off later and look. If it is it's gone too!
Like the picture I made a homemade plate and put a hose clamp on the lock but they still turned it the second time. Thats why there is no lock in the handle now.
Like they say you can't stop a theif only slow them down.

 

[quote=diverseth;6907037]Not sure what rod they are refering to. Maybe the rod for the inside manual lock button? Ill take my door panel off later and look. If it is it's gone too! quote]

please post what you find!

 

Had the train horns on my wrx in the fenders.
Also wired it to the alarm. Worked great and people thought twice.
Prevented more than a few accedents.