After reading about one of us getting an 06 f350 stolen, I'm thinking about putting some sort of kill switch on mine. (05 f350 powerstroke)
was thinking something that would let it start but either die shortly or not move would be great because I could possibly hear it start and be warned. Plus it might encourage them to leave if it's running but they can't get it to move.
i thought about a switch for the brake lights which would prevent the shift lock from disengaging.
how hard is it to just force them into gear? Would that even work?
any other ideas for getting it to start but not go into gear or drive away?
slefain
PowerDork
2/28/22 4:59 p.m.
Passenger side footwell should have the inertia switch. Wire in a kill switch on that circuit to act like the inertia switch when you park it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o17URUKzlwc
Auto trans cars have a neutral safety switch. This is that your foot has to be on the brake in order to get the car out of park. What if you added a step to this?
Get into the wiring and add a push switch.
With that installed, you would then need foot on brake but also a momentary press/hold of button for the neutral safety switch to receive power.
Like that's not confusing enough for someone driving your truck for the first time, you could further confuse by labeling the green button anything you want. Like a label maker label that says, "cargo lamp."
It can be crashed through, by design.
A better option IMO is the good old fashioned kill switch. Route the fuel pump through a relay wired to the rear window defogger switch or something else non-obvious...
It sounds like they are getting around the antitheft by installing their own ECM and ignition key combo. You could cage the ECM like a Saginaw steering column, but it'd be a shame if you relocated the ECM and had a dummy one in its place wired to transformers that ran a few hundred volts through it.
How about something that sets off the airbag in the perps face while they are messing with the colunm?
Separate hidden/disguised switch for the electric lift pump. You'd have to bleed the fuel system after taking it back, though.
In reply to Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) :
Probably illegal. Also invites injury to nonthieves.
If you are enough into electronics, you might repin the connectors and cut/rewire the legs inside the ECM. See how much an unmodified computer likes having power and ground reversed.
Some of these perhaps have chipped keys but mine does not. So no need to swap ecu's - just screwdriver through the door by the lock, then just get the ignition to engage and you're off.
I was able to force the locked out shifter in my Mazda5 out of park once. Took some effort, but not so much that it would prevent a thief from doing it.
Mndsm
MegaDork
2/28/22 8:41 p.m.
eastsideTim said:
I was able to force the locked out shifter in my Mazda5 out of park once. Took some effort, but not so much that it would prevent a thief from doing it.
Most automatic transmission cars have emergency lockout defeats that allow the car to be shifted when there's absolutely no power whatsoever, or even a key in the ignition. On console shifts it's usually right by the shifter, newer dodge trucks have it in a hidden panel, etc.
I used it on my Corolla before I found the dead brake switch and...lack of taillights because it wouldn't shift out for some reason and I wasn't about that. Drove it that way for two years.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I previously wrote in this old thread...
When I bought my '06 F-250, "The Gov't Mule", at auction it only came with one ignition key. It was a really worn down key so I made the decision that I would spend the big bucks on a key and go to the dealership and have them cut a really good key from the VIN. I expected this could be $35 for just one key. As it turns out, the counter guy told me either 2006 was the last year that these Ford Truck keys had no resistor chip or that maybe it was the last year that fleets could order the trucks w/o resistors. Either way, for me, a real Ford Key, cut at the real Ford Parts Counter, was just $3.50 each (so I got two.)
Mndsm said:
eastsideTim said:
I was able to force the locked out shifter in my Mazda5 out of park once. Took some effort, but not so much that it would prevent a thief from doing it.
Most automatic transmission cars have emergency lockout defeats that allow the car to be shifted when there's absolutely no power whatsoever, or even a key in the ignition. On console shifts it's usually right by the shifter, newer dodge trucks have it in a hidden panel, etc.
I used it on my Corolla before I found the dead brake switch and...lack of taillights because it wouldn't shift out for some reason and I wasn't about that. Drove it that way for two years.
Yup, and I found out about it and set that for a day or so until I could get a new brake light switch. However, the old one failed while I was sitting in the drop off lane at an airport. I was in no mood to figure anything out while trying to not attract the attention of airport security as I was trying to leave. I just wanted to go.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:
jfryjfry said:
Some of these perhaps have chipped keys but mine does not. So no need to swap ecu's - just screwdriver through the door by the lock, then just get the ignition to engage and you're off.
Are you sure about that?
F350s are a popular theft target because they are several years behind most everyone else adding security. Bust the lock and away you go.
Why not just a regular battery post kill switch? Used one on my Ranger for years, mostly because phantom voltage drop I could never track down.
My Kenwood head unit saved my settings, nothing else in the vehicle had a memory to worry about.
A more devious version of a kill switch: Use an RPM activated switch like an MSD 8950, set to turn off a relay powering the injectors at 800 to 1000 RPM. That would have the engine start and idle but make the truck almost undrivable.
Mount an old high beam switch on the floor wired inline with the neutral safety switch. Nobody will ever see you use it, to know about it.
Another thing to keep in mind with the added switches you may add to the system. Make sure you can remove them yourself with things that are in the car, in case the switch/wiring fails while you are away from home, thus disabling your car.
I am sure none of us use Valet parking :)
also throw an Apple Airtag in it .....
Definitely sure I have no chip - I use a $2 hardware store-cut key as my spare and use it often.
i also know I can wire in a kill switch but was thinking that getting it to start but not move might be cool.
but it sounds like the shifter can still be likely forced into gear so that's not a good plan.
I like the high beam switch idea. I used it in another one of my cars.
i also try to use factory switches for kill switches. For example, maybe grabbing a foglight switch and installing it as a kill switch. No one would guess.
I've got a switch planned already. Just need to figure out what wire to interrupt.
I bet if you interrupted the power to the accelerator pedal (should have only one power) it would start but it would not go anywhere.
