Why Ford’s SecuriCode Keypad Still Has a Cult Following

We recently asked you to vote for your favorite Ford technologies of the past quarter century. One of the favorites as voiced in the comments section of the article is a feature that was actually created more than 40 years ago. What is now known as Ford’s SecuriCode Keyless Entry Keypad, the numeric touchpad available on countless Ford and Lincoln vehicles of recent decades, was introduced in the 1980 model year. 

The keypad-based keyless entry system was barely mentioned when it was introduced as a standard feature on the Silver Anniversary Thunderbird, along with other advances such as electronic fuel injection and an electronic instrument cluster. The keyless system allowed owners to lock and unlock the vehicle and release the decklid using a preprogrammed five-digit numeric sequence set either by the customer or during production.  

The industry-first innovation hardly garnered the attention in promotional materials befitting a feature that still has a cult following more than 40 years later. It was rebranded as SecuriCode in 2009, when it was noted in promotional material that Ford “remains the only automaker to offer a factory-installed keyless entry pad on most of its vehicles.” The next-generation version of the system also relocated the familiar push-down keypad from the top of the driver’s side door to integrated touch-sensitive electronics mounted behind an acrylic cover inside the B-pillar of an equipped vehicle. 

SecuriCode was relaunched on the Lincoln MKS as the set of glowing, red numbers many of us are accustomed to seeing today. This came at a time when the iPhone was still a novel take on the cellphone, and the two shared the same type of technology and supplier of processors and algorithms, according to a Lincoln press release. But, unlike personal electronics, vehicles are constantly exposed to weather and other environmental factors, so Ford conducted extensive testing to ensure SecuriCode could stand up to everyday conditions as well as extreme scenarios.  That included chemical testing, rain and water testing, thermal testing, and vibration testing, among other evaluations.  

Besides offering an alternative means to open a door without a key or a fob, SecuriCode also allows customers to lock their keys inside the car while exercising or during outdoor activities like going for a hike or to the beach. That freedom, along with continued innovation and commitment to quality, has made SecuriCode a must-have feature for many Ford customers and employees alike. 

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