how to get spare key?

A locksmith can cut a non-chipped key for $5 or less. Leave it in the car and take your chipped key with you. This way even if someone broke the window they cannot drive the car away.

You will have to remove the fuse to turn off the screen or put a switch wired into the fuse block. On my Jeep Wrangler I removed the steering wheel lock. Now, I just take out the key and lock the door.

Don't know about Subaru dealers, but my Ford dealer cut a plain key for me. Near as I remember it cost about $5, but that was three years ago.

My last two Ford Trucks came with the push button door access. This pretty much solved my problem of keeping all of spare keys in the truck glove box...

I guess if the truck battery is run down I would have a problem getting in without a key??? Hopefully I could back feed 12VDC from the trailer connector??? will have to test that idea...

I am also leary of removing my battery terminals as when I did that a couple years back replacing an alternator on my older truck the on-board computer lost its settings and I had problems after that mainly with idling at too low of RPMs and motor dying. Manual said ti would repair itself but never did. I finally had to take it back to ford to put on their $90 per hour computer charge to reset things back to normal...

Roy Ken

agossmann wrote:

Also, it has a screen that is on with the key in the "on" position. I need to turn it totally off so it doesn't drain the battery when I tow. Any ideas?

It seems like they don't think about people towing vehicles anymore :(

Anni
23' Jamboree motorhome 2000

As to your key "on" problem try this:

Insert key in ignition and turn to on, then turn key to off, DO NOT REMOVE KEY.

Now try to turn the steering wheel to see if the steering interlock engages. My guess is it will not engage until the key is removed from the ignition. That will solve your problem of the screen being on and discharging the battery.

Basics. What are the instructions in the Owner's Manual? Be sure you look at "RV" or "Recreational" Towing, not Breakdown/Tow Truck Towing. They're usually different.

A couple weeks ago, I wanted an extra chipped key for our Jeep, so I looked in the owners manual and there were instructions on how to make a chipped key yourself. All it took was a chipped blank from the locksmith that he cut and then using the two original chipped keys we made a third one by inserting it in the ignition switch and then reomoving it per the owner manual instructions. Now I have a third chipped key for only about $25 cost. So check your owners manual to see if you can make another chipped key yourself for a lot less than $400. The main thing is to go to a good locksmith, not WalMart or one of those places.

You only received one key with brand new car?

Duplicate post

RoyB wrote:
My last two Ford Trucks came with the push button door access. This pretty much solved my problem of keeping all of spare keys in the truck glove box...

I guess if the truck battery is run down I would have a problem getting in without a key??? Hopefully I could back feed 12VDC from the trailer connector??? will have to test that idea...

I am also leary of removing my battery terminals as when I did that a couple years back replacing an alternator on my older truck the on-board computer lost its settings and I had problems after that mainly with idling at too low of RPMs and motor dying. Manual said ti would repair itself but never did. I finally had to take it back to ford to put on their $90 per hour computer charge to reset things back to normal...

Roy Ken

I'm not sure what the problem was with your truck, but it's certainly unusual. We leave our 2010 Expedition (which is identically equipped to your F150) in the garage with the battery disconnected for months at a time with no ill effects. Whenever we take the motorhome out for trips longer than 30 days we disconnect the batteries on the truck and our Buick. We've been gone as long as 3 months and never had a problem with either vehicle when we return. Over the years I've had several Ford trucks, and have always disconnected the battery when it was stored more than 30 days. There's never been a problem with the computer(s) when the battery was reconnected

In addition there is a battery disconnect switch for the chassis battery in our motorhome built on the ford F53 chassis. Anytime it's in storage the battery is disconnected. As with the other vehicles there's never been a problem with the computer or any other function.

Thanks all who responded!
I never got any info from Subaru: either the company nor the dealership. It seems like we here at Good Sam seem to know more about our dinghys than the car companies themselves!

I will have to go to a locksmith to make spares to open the door. And I did get 2 other keys but one is for my mom who might occasionally drive my car & a spare for at home. 3 keys are not enough! Besides, a chipped key doesn't fit into my wallet!

And, about turning off the screen, the Subaru service guys had no idea, so thanks to those of you who said to pull the fuse for it before I tow. Thankfully the fuse box is easy to get to & surprisingly they are labeled & I can easily differentiate which fuse it is.

Again, thanks to all who helped me. You guys all rock!