How To Program a Second Key With FDRS

[breeves002]

Any Ford dealer that is trying to charge you $150+ to program a key or doesn't know how to do it...send them this video.

I started the video after I had initiated the connection process, but it literally takes under 5 minutes to program a key from the point of plugging in the laptop to being finished. Should be a $50 flat fee to have it done by the dealer in my opinion.

Note that if you want to do this yourself you will need a dealer login so find a friend that works for Ford and buy them some beer for coming out to help you.

Sorry for covering the mic for some of it the audio isn’t perfect.

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[i8iridium]

Unfortunately, you need NASTF credentials to do anything PATS related if using a non-dealer login.

 

[benk016]

My dealer charges $35 to program a key. I was very surprised when they said that's all they charge for that after seeing what everyone else gets charged for it on here.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

My dealer charges $35 to program a key. I was very surprised when they said that's all they charge for that after seeing what everyone else gets charged for it on here.

Ours did it for free during the purchase of the car. For those who didn't acquire or arrange to acquire an extra key at purchase time, they said they'd do it during any servicing they for the car. programming costs shouldn't be an issue.

 

[BMT1071]

Many dealers have a 1 hour minimum charge. Some don't.

 

[breeves002]

Unfortunately, you need NASTF credentials to do anything PATS related if using a non-dealer login.

That’s what I thought. It makes sense they do it that way.

 

[TTT]

Part of the issue may be that many dealers today don't have employees in the service department, they have independent contractors. All jobs are bid out at a book rate and the service techs accept the job at that rate and do it "at their own risk", meaning if they get it done early they keep the extra money - which is the way it always works. If they find a stripped or seized bolt, or if something else causes a problem for them making the job abnormally difficult - they go to the service manager and have that added to the bill - meaning the customer always get the short end of the stick.

If a job is particularly onerous, then its possible none of the technicians at the dealership feel like doing it and the service manager has to call around and find someone to do it. This sort of leverage eventually drives the service manager to write tickets up at higher and higher rates within the limits of what the owner of the dealer, the state, and Ford would let them do. All of this contributes to BS like a one hour minimum to program a key fob.

Some dealerships still want to hire employees directly, pay them benefits and have a traditional model, but more and more this sort of outsourcing is seen as a way to make the owner more money at the customers expense and provide worse service while making the Service Manager scramble. It's a sign of the times, and a good reason to find a good, trusted local mechanic.

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