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.

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.

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 :-)

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.

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.

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.

My '89 Probe was an automatic, and it had the 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Lose brakes? Me thinks that losing steering is the big problem.