Ford promises to fix poor security in its cars

Ford South Africa says it is aware of the security problems on some of its older EcoSport and Fiesta models and is working on a solution.

It was reacting to a spate of complaints on social media, where users shared videos of the brand’s vehicles being broken into. Hundreds of Ford drivers have complained that they lost valuables such as laptops and bags, claiming their cars were easily broken into due to poor security features.

Owners say the door locks are easy to pick and do not set off the car alarm.

In response, Ford has posted a video on its Facebook and Twitter platforms, quoting Craig von Essen, Ford’s Corporate Transformation manager.

“We at Ford take vehicle security very seriously. While new vehicles are not affected, we are aware of certain older EcoSport and Fiesta vehicles that are being targeted by criminals,” said Von Essen.

“In some break ins we find that the alarm does not sound, although the immobiliser is still active.

"We really regret the inconvenience to our customers and will soon be launching the following enhancements:

"Firstly, if a vehicle already has an alarm we’ll make sure that it sounds when the key lock is tampered with.

"If a vehicle does not have a standard alarm we will offer one as an accessory which will go off if the lock is tampered with.

"The third option is that we will replace the lock with a new remote and a high-security key.”

Ford said criminals appear to be targeting previous-generation Fiesta and EcoSport models sold between 2013 and quarter two of 2018.

Ford says it is busy finalising these solutions and will contact its customers directly.

It is also looking at the security systems in its other Ford models and if customers have any concerns they are encouraged to contact Ford through the company’s Facebook and Twitter platforms.