Hundreds of Ford trucks have been stolen from north Texas and Police say certain models are being targeted more than others.
Many Ford trucks, vans and SUV's use a passive anti-theft key also known as PATS key system. These keys prevent someone from copying your key to a blank and using the blank. There is a small chip in the key which the vehicle must recognize before it will start.
FORD says that type of key helps deter thieves.
Most heavy-duty Ford trucks don't have the chip, and are becoming the main target for vehicle thieves.
Many Dealerships have had to hire security to come and take care of the car lot every night, and even then still have a problem.
Police Department Officials says it's a crime that they're trying to develop as much intelligence about as they can to help counteract the problem.
Ford F-150's are the only Ford Trucks that come with a factory installed PATS system, Ford F-250's and up don't have them,so it seems to make it a little bit easier for the thieves to steal them.
Just in the month of April, six-hundred trucks have been stolen in Houston, TX, and most of them end up crossed into Mexico.
There are several groups that concentrate in commercial areas and there are others that concentrate in residential areas, but the auto theft problem is serious enough for one car lot that thieves stole five cars in one evening alone.
While Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep products that are being very popular in Mexico right now, and those are the type of vehicles that Theives are taking from the border, The problem with stolen super-duty Ford Trucks seems to be progressing northward, and into adjoining states as well.
Car thieves have gone as far as running over Mexican customs agents like in a recent case at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge. Authorities say organized auto-theft gangs go as far as trying to attack law enforcement officers in order to try to escape.
Authorities recommend the use of certain anti-theft devices like an ignition kill switch, fuel kill switch, a visible steering wheel lock or even a vehicle tracking device.

well guess thats one good thing about the '08s, theft deterent keys.

Still, it has GOT to make you wonder why they took so long getting there~

when i was in the car shop before moving to the car shop, we would see several vehicles a week needing new pats keys because they lost them, or atleast needing copies. i am waiting to have the same issue with the 6.4s when they are more prevelant here.

The company I work for bought a couple Houndogs, er Honnnnnnndadadadadaaaaas for the salesmen to use going to demos and presentations. I had to go over and get new keys so that each had one and a spare. They not only cost 75 bucks EACH, but the "dummy" keys (they only open the doors) were $15 each! Add to this, I had to provide Proof of ownership, and since the COMPANY owned them (not to mention had JUST BOUGHT THEM from THAT dealer) I had to provide proof that I worked for the company, and had authorization to get the keys made!
I'm sure it's just a matter of time 'til a dealer starts listing "spare keys" on the window sticker as a line item option!

Tom, the dealer screws you on keys like that. You can get most keys made at a hardware store or wal-mart, and program them yourself. the procedure for that is usually in the owner's manual. We sell those keys with chips in them at westlake.

Ryan

It is in the owners manual for my explorer to program the PATS key. You can also program your own door remotes. The salesman got a new one and programmed for me when I bought the explorer. Just buy a cheapo one off of evilbay and you are set.

yes, RYAN you can buy keys anywhere and program them yourself as long as you have 2 keys already. if not, i guess i have enjoyed screwing people.

Remember guys, this was a HOUNDOG, er HONDA dealer. A riceburner.

haha, bowtiehatr... You gotta admit, there's a pretty steep mark-up somewhere when the ones at westlake are $25, and Tom's payin $70.

Ryan

You have honda chip keys? otherwise, that post don't make sense...

I can't remember each one, but I'm pretty sure we have most name brand keys. Honda should be among them.

Ryan

well i cant say for all dealers but here, its 35 bucks for programming and up tp 30 bucks a key. now the new style keys with the fobs built in are around 100 plus so yes they can get expensive.

by the way, did i miss the joke? i did not say nething funny. i take my job seriously and will admit we as a dealer is expensive. but when you see some of the bills we have to pay youll understand. hell, i wouldnt work at a dealer who would be 40 or 50 an hour. i would probably have better luck if i did all my own work instead.

oh, I have no doubt you take your job seriously.

The markup on the key at that honda dealer is steeep. He said the key alone was a $75 charge. What else is telling me that the dealer is taking advantage is that they're chargin $15 for a key with no chip that opens the doors, which we also sell at the hardware store for $4.

A quality mechanic is worth the rate you earn, maybe more in most cases, but the actual key markup was a little... sketchy at that honda dealer.

Ryan

What I'm curious about is why the PATS isn't standard on all trim levels of the '08 SD's?

bowtiehatr said:

well i cant say for all dealers but here, its 35 bucks for programming and up tp 30 bucks a key. now the new style keys with the fobs built in are around 100 plus so yes they can get expensive.

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Well if it is 100 bucks or the damn chinese fire drill around the steering column to get the key working, I'll pay the 100 bucks.

Tried turning off the seatbelt chime in my SD when I got it and I think it took me 2 hours to get the right combination of buckle, unbuckle key on key off BS and that was WITH reading the directions. I would have paid to avoid that aggrevation.

I'm so lazy.

EnviroCon said:

What I'm curious about is why the PATS isn't standard on all trim levels of the '08 SD's?

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I don't know, but I'd skip a lot of options I'd like to have to stay in a trim level that didn't have it. I might even pay a few bucks to not have it, and I'm a cheap SOB.

I generally park in safe areas, and I like less-desireable vehicles (few options, manual transmission, etc.). I don't want to lug that big key around (I won't carry a remote for the doors, either), don't want to pay extra for the feature, don't want to have to pay the extra cost for the keys, don't want to have to always make sure I have TWO spare keys, or else have to pay extra for a dealership to make a new one...

My father bought a car with PATS in 2000, before it was common, and didn't know how expensive it would be to get new keys. Within a few weeks of getting the car, he lost one of the original keys, and then spent a lot of money getting a couple new keys made and programmed. Not a good first impression of the system, for sure.

So you'd rather not have any factory theft-protection on one of the world's easiest to steal vehicles, because you might lose a key?

I don't want to own one of the world's easiest to steal vehicles.

Living where I do (Maine is a state where lots of people still leave their keys in the ignition when they go into the store...), no, I don't want any factory anti-theft. It's an added expense, and added complexity, for something I don't really need.

I don't lose keys, either. It's more the principle of the thing. I can't really say just why, but those things really piss me off. Maybe it's the idea that I might need it that I find so offensive, I really don't know. confused

Here I am with Gap protection and all, I probably couldn't pay someone to steal mine. Keys in it and running, would still be there every time when I got back.