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jim posted on January 22, 2012, 6:02 am
need to push to turn the ignition key to the off position?
(I'm referring to a 1988 and a 1990 F150, both have this button).
I've had quite a few other brands of trucks and cars and none of them
had that. I've had 3 Ford trucks and two of them had it, a 1988 and a
1990. The old 78 Ford I once owned did not have it.
WHY IS IT THERE?
I just can not see the reasoning for it. I find it annoying, because it
seems so senseless to have to use two hands to turn the damn key off.
This is definately NOT one of Ford's better ideas, but might quailfy as
one of their stupidest ideas. I've learned to live with it, but
everytime I got to push that button I ask myself why it's there. So,
now I'm asking you.....
Why cant they just make it like other cars and trucks, where you just
turn it off and remove the key without pushing an extra button, that
seems to serve no purpose whatsoever, except to irritate the owner. It's
particularly annoying when I'm wearing heavy gloves in winter, have to
remove them to find the stupid button, and since I'm cold, I want to get
indoors as fast as possible, and got to be pissing around with this
button. If it served a real purpose, I'd not complain, but if there is
any purpose, I sure can not see what it is.
By the way, do any of the Ford cars have these too? I owned a Ford car
(Galaxie 500) back in the early 1970s, and the car was an early 60's.
It did not have that button. That's the only Ford car I've owned.
But what about the late 80's early 90's cars? Or newer ones....
Simon1952 posted on
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
I had a '99 Ranger and it had the button. Also, a '77 Mustang that had
the same button. Although I think I've never seen a car that had one
since. (I had an '83 Mercury LN-7 that I don't think had the button,
but the '92 Exploder did.)
I never understood why the fool think was there either, but I'd bet on
some Insurance Company being the motivation for it being there.
S.
SC Tom posted on
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
My 89 Probe had it.
My guess it was a safety feature (like Jeff posted) to keep the steering wheel
from locking if you had a situation like
a runaway engine. You'd sure want to turn it off, but you definitely wouldn't
want the steering wheel to lock while
you're still rolling. I much prefer the current method of removing the key to
lock the wheel :-)
--
SC Tom
Jeff Strickland posted on
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
It keeps you from turning the key to the lock position. It is (was) required
because if the key is turned, the steering is locked. The current way they
do it, the steering does not lock until the key is removed.
What you noticed is that idiots did not own cars or trucks before the 1980s.
Or, idiots did own them and the government said that the rest of us had to
be protected from them, this meant that we had to be inconvenienced by them
too until somebody figured out a better mousetrap.
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
OK, that sounds plausible.
But how come only Big Blue? I never heard of GM or Dodge having this
solution applied to their cars.
S.
David Chamberlain posted on
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
I have had two Toyota's with similar buttons. On the current POS Honda I
have, you have to push the key in to get it to go all the way to lock.
Can't say I've ever driven a Dodge or a GM.
--
David Chamberlain
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
My Jeep had it, 1981 CJ5. It's common. Some cars still have it.
You are asking why the sun comes up in the east, and if there is a way to
make this different. No. It is what it is.
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
The only Fords that have that button, as far as I am aware, are ones
with manual transmissions. The purpose is to make it more difficult for
you or someone to easily turn the key all the way to the steering wheel
lock position while you are driving.
I don't think I've seen a Ford with this button with an automatic,
because the key will not turn all the way off unless the shifter is in
Park. I can't say I've driven a lot of different Fords lately, though.
My Dad's 96 F-250 doesn't have a button and neither does my Mom's 2004
Escape.
--
David Chamberlain
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
My '89 Probe was an automatic, and it had the button.
--
SC Tom
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
I was thinking about it. It must be an older model thing. My '93 T-Bird
didn't have a button, nor did my '94 Couger. They were automatics. My
'99 Ranger did, but it was a manual.
--
David Chamberlain
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
I think you hit the nail on the head with this reply. Both of these
fords were manual tranny. Now it makes sense because on an automatic
you have to shift to Park first. I was using a 92 GMC pickup with
automatic and that did not have it. My car, a 89 Chevy Impala /
automatic dont have it. Then again, GM trucks dont seem to come with
manual trannies very often. I know they are made, but I seldom see
them, whereas the Fords seem to often have them.
I guess this button dont matter much anymore....
(see my next message)
Thanks
DogDiesel posted on
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
For stupid people.
So you don't pull the key out driving around and lock up the steering ,
and lose your power brakes and wreck.
Or kill somebody and
then blame Ford.
Re: Why do Ford trucks have that Key Button
lose your power brakes and wreck.
But you would still lose your power brakes. The button doesn't prevent you from
turning the vehicle off; it just
prevents the removal of the key.
--
SC Tom
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