Ford locks on vehicles compromised

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kingr
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Ford locks on vehicles compromised

Post by kingr »

Already beleaguered by adverse media reports for various vehicle recalls and now under investigation by The US Justice Department over its emissions certification process, the vehicle-manufacturing giant is again making headline news, this time it is Ford security, specifically defective locking systems on some models. Irate customers are reporting Ford locks on their vehicles are faulty, making it easy to break into cars. While the immobiliser is not affected (and so the car unlikely to be stolen), burglars easily jimmy the front door lock with a simple tool, like a screwdriver but the alarm does not go off. It is a low-tech but effective attack strategy, which manually overrides the locking mechanism and opens all the vehicle’s doors, including the boot. Ford is addressing the problem, and not a moment too soon as the story goes viral on the internet.

How serious is the problem and is Ford unfairly lambasted? While the lock debacle appears to be a serious technical error, Ford owners seem to have an unusual propensity for leaving uninsured valuables in their vehicles. Virtually to a man, victims of car break-ins have lost a laptop to thieves during a ride to the shopping mall.

While some drivers are as impassive as Ford, saying, “Ford is not responsible for the damage caused by criminals exploiting a vulnerability,” others are making a social media meal out of their experience. One Facebook user went as far as to suggest, the day before the South African elections, “Ford drivers should b allowed to vote today as we can't stand on a queue tomorrow in fear of our cars being broken into. (sic)”

It has become an emotionally fraught issue on social media as Ford does have a history of verbally batting away or ignoring safety and security crises. Who will ever forget the flaming Kuga? Whether placidity or arrogance, it has been Ford’s (lack of meaningful) response that has gotten under Ford owners’ skins.

To make matters worse, China Ford in April recalled over 23,900 vehicles with faulty door locks. Ford committed to replacing them free of charge. Admittedly, this was a safety rather than a security incident, but don’t tell South African Ford owners that. They are fed up!

THE FACTS

Can my Ford be stolen due to faulty locks?
The risk of having your car stolen is low. Thieves targeting specific Ford models break a front-door lock, which allows them to access the interior and boot without the alarm going off. So far, none of them has attempted to hotwire and drive a targeted vehicle away.

Which Ford models are at risk of car break-ins because of faulty locks?
Ford claims only older Ecosport and Fiesta models between 2013 and early-2018 are affected. However, customers have reported Focus, Figo, Kuga (yes, the one at risk of bursting into flames in the event of a frontal collision) and Ranger models are also targets. Business Insider has created a simple spreadsheet to track reported incidents. Meanwhile, Ford has said it is investigating whether Focus models are similarly at risk.

How much does it cost to replace broken locks and mitigate Ford security risks?

With Ford owners on the internet claiming replacement locks are costing them between R3000 and R20000 (and with insurance reportedly having to cough up as much as three times for repeated car break-ins on a single vehicle in some incidents), Ford has come up with some specific solutions and costs, available from May 2019:

Faulty alarms systems can be reconfigured to remain active when drivers access the car (i.e. either when using a legitimate key or tampering with the lock). “The upgrade will ensure that when the vehicle is opened, with a key or an object the system perceives to be a key (for example a screwdriver), the alarm – if fitted - will immediately sound and all doors, except the driver door, will remain locked. If a Ford model does not feature a standard alarm, the upgrade will make it more secure by disabling automatic door unlocking.” – R155.25
“ONLY customers that have had their locks broken should have them replaced.” – R1199
Cars without a standard alarm (e.g. Ambiente) can be fitted retroactively with an accessory alarm – R1886
A replacement security lock accessory would only allow access via a remote key fob or ultra-high-security key (coming soon to a dealer near you)

According to one user who nipped down to his dealer to have his faulty alarm system repaired, thieves can still tamper with the lock using a screwdriver, but now the alarm will go off. Make sure you tip your car guard generously before doing the shopping this weekend.

Will insurance pay to fix my Ford’s broken locks?

Yes, they will, but you will lose your no-claim bonus, may have to pay excess and risk having your premiums raised in the future.

Tips and tricks: Are there alternative fixes to improve Ford security for vehicle owners on a budget?

Hundreds of users have taken to a Facebook page - My FORD was broken into South Africa – to exchange horror stories and solutions.
The most sensible advice is that people do not leave valuables in their cars, not even locked in the boot or cubby.

If you are a hands-on type of person, you can try the following suggestions (but be warned, these may void any warranties you have.)


A few users claim to swap the back- and front-door lock solves the problem.
A cunning and inexpensive option, suggested by, among others, Elrike Ehlers, is to remove the lock pins. With no pins, the lock cylinder cannot turn. However, the downside is that if your battery runs down, you will not be able to get into the car without breaking a window.
Even easier, Petri Spies photographed his low-tech solution to glue a 10-cent coin to a lock.

Faulty Ford locks have been the bane of owners before. According to some motoring enthusiasts, the Ford ignition lock module is a rather “common failure” for Ford Fusion, Focus and Escape SUV models. In 2010, when thieves armed only with a screwdriver targeted Ford F Series trucks in America, Ford responded: “Ford continually monitors the performance of its vehicles and is confident locking mechanisms work properly in all of our vehicles. But, like any lock, thieves can overcome them.”

THE HYPE

Is it just a Ford security risk or do other types of vehicles have similar faulty lock problems?

According to a local locksmith, any lock can be picked by a skilled professional, often using just an Allen key or blunted screwdriver. Interviewed by IOL, two professional thieves claim picking a lock takes a maximum of five minutes. “The Nissan 1400 bakkie and a Toyota bakkie,” said Keith, “take one minute to steal. A Golf takes two minutes and a Polo five minutes.”

On Facebook, Matthew Parker, who is assisting owners is his area to remove the pins from their locks, said, “It’s not only fords,6 others car manufacturers use the exact same lock.” The problem is that with other makes of vehicle, the alarm will go off when the lock is tampered with.

Why has the Ford security lock story gone viral?

It is inconvenient, often costly, but the hype seems out of proportion as the thieves did not steal the cars and nobody was injured.

While angry consumers have asked multiple questions of Ford on the company’s official Facebook page, Ford’s response has been painfully slow in coming and usually an annoying variation on a scripted reply. “Hi [complainant name], all of our vehicles have an anti-theft system and meet with all required safety and security measures and as such this cannot be considered a design or manufacturing fault. As a result, we are unable to offer the security upgrade free of charge but have worked closely with our dealer body to minimise costs.”

As one vehicle owner commented sarcastically, so Ford is going to pledge to fix something they claim isn’t broken.

According to Ford, Ford locks comply with legal requirements. The media frenzy seems to have made them change their stance and admit there may be a problem, but they stick to their guns that it is not their fault.

Remember the randomly exploding rear window debacle, which had nothing to do with design or manufacturing flaws either, but a pesky nuisance caused by an Act of God, namely, winter. The default affected some Ford SUVs built on or before October 2010. According to Ford, the rear windows of some vehicles shattered when exposed to cold temperatures. Never mind, said Ford cheerfully, keep the car in the garage or keep it warm using a car cover. It is this quick response that has Ford owners up in arms.

Owners of second-hand vehicles will have to walk alone

Ford in May is contacting Ford owners whose cars may have faulty locks. At the time of writing, it appears only selected models are eligible for a fix, e.g. Fiestas and EcoSports, not the Ford Focus. Owners of pre-loved vehicles will have to do the legwork to see if their cars are affected themselves.

How do I find out if my vehicle is a safety or security risk?

Vehicle recalls are making car owners (understandably) nervous. Vehicle manufacturers notify owners of newer vehicles if there is a safety recall for a particular make and model of car, but owners of second-hand cars need to proactively check if their automobile, or one they have an eye on to purchase, is a security or safety risk. Was the car stolen or are you being taken for a (figurative) ride? Forewarned is forearmed. Do your homework to make sure you are not buying a stolen vehicle or falling for a car scam.

The good news is that some dealers are doing security upgrades on all their customers’ Ford Fiestas and EcoSports free of charge. Now maybe the time to put your dealer to the test.

Postscript:
Ford SA on 10 May 2019 admitted to Wheels24 some Ford Focus Ambiente and Trend models (built between September 2015 and current date) could be at risk of being broken into due to similar critical lock barrel vulnerabilities.)
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