Dealer installed alarm hardware found!

KTM Hauler

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So this morning I'm vacuuming the truck and noticed an "item" that did not look right. I knew right away what it was, but I was in shock that I missed it. I turned down the up-sell alarm when buying the truck and it did not even cross my mind that the hardware was already installed.

I can live with the fact that there are 2 little screw holes drilled in the panel. They are in a location that is for a lack of better words, irrelevant. That being said, I am annoyed that the factory wiring was modified and it was not disclosed at the time of purchase. It was not on the window sticker. It was never mentioned at all.

I will be contacting the dealer tomorrow and telling them it will be returned to factory condition, wiring and panel, or I will be pursuing the matter further.

Anyone else find out after the fact that their truck was modified with alarm hardware?

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Texasota

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Weird. What does it do above and beyond the factory anti-theft system?
 
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KTM Hauler

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Weird. What does it do above and beyond the factory anti-theft system?
It is a Karr alarm system. From what I can gather online, it seems it adds a shock sensor...at best. All for the low low price of $795.

Here is the email I just sent to the General Manager, General Sales Manager, Sales Manager and Sales Consultant...


Management Team,


I am writing this email to address my concern relating to aftermarket alarm hardware installed on my truck that was not disclosed at the time of delivery or at any time during the sales process.


This morning I was vacuuming the front carpet and noticed a wired button installed on the fuse panel under the steering wheel. After a little research, it is obvious that your dealership installed an aftermarket alarm in my new Ranger. I have to assume the alarm is not active considering the fact that I was asked during the sales/delivery process if I wanted the alarm. I declined the alarm. It was not disclosed to me at that time that the factory hardware was modified. This modification includes a modification to the factory wiring under the panel and the panel itself. I have the original sticker from the window and it does not state any modification. I looked through all of my paperwork, and again, I find no mention of your dealership adding ANY aftermarket hardware to the vehicle. I DO remember a separate sticker on the window for the OEM bedliner that was added by your dealership.


I purchased this truck with the expectation that it was being delivered as described on the Ford website and the sticker on the window. Nothing more, nothing less.


I would like to have someone contact me on my cell phone at xxx-xxx-xxxx to schedule a time for me to come in and have the wiring and panel returned to its’s original factory new condition.


Also, I spoke to Ed and Deshaun about the 2 missing tie down hooks. I was told that I would be receiving these in the mail. It’s been close to a month and they have not arrived.


Thank you in advance for addressing these concerns.
 
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Edsel

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I wish my dealer had done that to me. That is basically a LoJack and your insurance will give you a discount for having it.

You should continue your outrage and then demand that they give you free monitoring!
 
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KTM Hauler

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I wish my dealer had done that to me. That is basically a LoJack and your insurance will give you a discount for having it.

You should continue your outrage and then demand that they give you free monitoring!
I do realize that I can be a bit a prick when undergoing my daily vitamin treatment, a.k.a. wine. That being said, I would like the truck back to factory new condition and realize it probably won't happen by being nice...these are car salesmen we are dealing with. Oops, sorry...salespersons.
 


quirkybar8

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This seems to be a pretty common practice nowadays (installing aftermarket crap then trying to upsell). Around here at least 2 dealers etch all the vehicles. I didn't pay for it, but it's there. My older son is out your way and had LoJack installed on the F-150 he just bought last month. He too declined it then for giggles activated it. Far as I know it still works. I know you aren't asking me for advice, but if you were I'd say let it go. It's not worth it. Unless they did a real hack job on the wiring anyway.
 

quirkybar8

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Who needs wine to be a prick? That comes naturally to me.

As little of an issue that this is, i still think you should complain. Its no different then lets say drilling the frame to put on aftermarket running boards you didnt ask for.
They need to return the truck to you in the configuration you expected at purchase.
I speak from experience as a lifelong card-carrying prick fwiw. Of course I don't expect anyone to learn from me, let alone internet neighbors.
 

P. A. Schilke

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So this morning I'm vacuuming the truck and noticed an "item" that did not look right. I knew right away what it was, but I was in shock that I missed it. I turned down the up-sell alarm when buying the truck and it did not even cross my mind that the hardware was already installed.

I can live with the fact that there are 2 little screw holes drilled in the panel. They are in a location that is for a lack of better words, irrelevant. That being said, I am annoyed that the factory wiring was modified and it was not disclosed at the time of purchase. It was not on the window sticker. It was never mentioned at all.

I will be contacting the dealer tomorrow and telling them it will be returned to factory condition, wiring and panel, or I will be pursuing the matter further.

Anyone else find out after the fact that their truck was modified with alarm hardware?

Inked11_LI.jpg
Hi KTM,

My local dealer does something similar. The install looks if done by ax. The OEM system cannot be restored due to wire splices etc. I pulled this out of two vehicles I bought from them and repaired the wire splices with pricey but robust butt crimp splices we used in off road racing. As a result, when I purchased my Lincoln (Tucson branch of Jim Click Ford here in Tucson), I demanded that the alarm not be installed or there was no deal, so I got a vehicle off the haulaway. As for my Ranger, I purchased from a dealer 50 miles away which does not do this crap. The takeaway here is that the vehicle cannot be returned to OEM due to wiring harness damage and you do not what to have the complete wiring changed out as you will have warranty return after return as it is almost impossible for a dealership to get it right and they would likely decline. You best bet is a local buyback and find another dealer that does not do this BS.

Here is a picture of the rats nest I pulled out of my 2011 Escape

clickwire.jpg


Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 
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Mokume

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So this morning I'm vacuuming the truck and noticed an "item" that did not look right. I knew right away what it was, but I was in shock that I missed it. I turned down the up-sell alarm when buying the truck and it did not even cross my mind that the hardware was already installed.

I can live with the fact that there are 2 little screw holes drilled in the panel. They are in a location that is for a lack of better words, irrelevant. That being said, I am annoyed that the factory wiring was modified and it was not disclosed at the time of purchase. It was not on the window sticker. It was never mentioned at all.

I will be contacting the dealer tomorrow and telling them it will be returned to factory condition, wiring and panel, or I will be pursuing the matter further.

Anyone else find out after the fact that their truck was modified with alarm hardware?

Inked11_LI.jpg
When I signed a purchase agreement last August for my 2020 S/Cab I had the dealer disclose on it that absolutely no options, packages or any other items at the local level were to be added to my truck.
This included, but was not limited to $500 wax jobs, glass etching, vinyl pin-striping, etc. Thank God they don't stoop to this low of a level as they did on your truck.
One of the just 3 dealers here in Honolulu does routinely add some sort of snake oil additive to all their new vehicles HVAC system called "Arctic Blast". The price of this service was an additional $500, being that I have experience with automotive refrigeration sealed systems I questioned the salesperson about this additive who, in turn referred me to the service manager. This person stated that the addition of this additive was farmed out by sales, this started a ring of debate between sales and service. Bottom line is that neither of them could provide specifics on this wonder additive nor if it was approved by Ford. I reminded them that they were most likely voiding the vehicles warranty by adding this crap to the system.
By the way, this was the same dealer which added an 8K markup to the the MSRP on a 2019 S/Crew, bargaining was to begin from that grossly inflated figure.
Stick to you guns, insist that they restore your Ranger to the condition it was in when it left the factory, even if it means replacing (not repairing) the wire harness which they probably butchered, this may make them re-think their sales tactics.
 

NVHoonigan

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This seems to be a pretty common practice nowadays (installing aftermarket crap then trying to upsell). Around here at least 2 dealers etch all the vehicles. I didn't pay for it, but it's there.
My local dealer does the etching upsell as well. When I bought my 2011 Ranger they really pushed the service and I asked them how often does a stolen vehicle get recovered these days? Most stolen vehicles (at least in my area) get chopped and sold for parts so etching on the glass will do nothing to prevent a loss or help with recovery. They didn't even mention the etching when I bought my 2019 but I can see it also.
 

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I hate the "$200" wheel locks. Have not had a wheel stolen.....ever.
 

quirkybar8

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Hi KTM,

My local dealer does something similar. The install looks if done by ax. The OEM system cannot be restored due to wire splices etc. I pulled this out of two vehicles I bought from them and repaired the wire splices with pricey but robust butt crimp splices we used in off road racing. As a result, when I purchased my Lincoln (Tucson branch of Jim Click Ford here in Tucson), I demanded that the alarm not be installed or there was no deal, so I got a vehicle off the haulaway. As for my Ranger, I purchased from a dealer 50 miles away which does not do this crap. The takeaway here is that the vehicle cannot be returned to OEM due to wiring harness damage and you do not what to have the complete wiring changed out as you will have warranty return after return as it is almost impossible for a dealership to get it right and they would likely decline. You best bet is a local buyback and find another dealer that does not do this BS.

Here is a picture of the rats nest I pulled out of my 2011 Escape
I can see that freakin' mess leading to a different perspective from mine. Why'd you go butt connectors instead of solder with some heat shrink tubing?

My local dealer does the etching upsell as well. When I bought my 2011 Ranger they really pushed the service and I asked them how often does a stolen vehicle get recovered these days? Most stolen vehicles (at least in my area) get chopped and sold for parts so etching on the glass will do nothing to prevent a loss or help with recovery. They didn't even mention the etching when I bought my 2019 but I can see it also.
I think an insurance company was offering etching at no charge years ago, with the logic being that the glass would be unusable. Bet that worked out well for their loss mitigation.
 

P. A. Schilke

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I can see that freakin' mess leading to a different perspective from mine. Why'd you go butt connectors instead of solder with some heat shrink tubing?
These butt connectors are same as approved by FAA for repair of Airliners. They are not autostore parts. I have a special crimping tool that goes with them. I get them at Terminal Supply. The outer sleave is shrink tubing with a hot melt glue that glues to the wire sheath making a robust connection.

Solder on the other hand is a big no no on automotive wiring. The solder is solid and where this solid solder stops creates a stress concentration in the wire and can and does lead to internal failure of the copper. Shrink tubing that does not bond to the wiring sheath does help a bit but why take the risk... When I started managing offroad racing The Ford racetrucks failure rate was about 75% and most electrical. We instituted a requirement to switch to the type of butt connectors sold by ReyChem or Terminal supply...It is now very uncommon for the race teams to have electrical failures due to wiring.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

Mokume

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My dealer hacked up my 3rd brake light. Tried to get them to fix it, they ignored me, so I sent them a bill for my labor to repair it and they actually paid it. Don't give up on getting yours made right.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/pulsing-brake-light.3180
Personally, I would not stop there, someone is tampering with safety devices on vehicles your dealership is selling with hack jobs such as this, how many other customers who've had cars delivered from this place are aware of this?
I'd contact your local government motor vehicle repair board about this, this "dealership" gotta be stopped in butchering wiring and creating a potential hazard!
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