Stolen tail light thread

[Fazzie01]

I just find it hard to believe that there is such a demand for a taillight that does not go bad that often. Love my cheap STX even more. Just hope someone notice's there the cheap crap before they try to steal them.

This is what I have always wondered. How many Ranger owners are out there in the market for new taillights? Is there really demand for them that would be beneficial for thieves.

And it's not like these are Civics where they are a dime a dozen an people are always needing new lights, I see maybe one other Ranger a day.

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[MountainGoat]

Sorry, couldn't resist. ?

"Your honor I saw the sign as stating the gun was available for me to take with the owner's permission". (wins case)

 

[Muffin1]

Maybe instead of punisher and gun stickers one could try STX badges?

Seriously though why can't you just replace your stolen tail lights with the cheap STX ones? Error codes or something? They are $181 vs $942 on Fairway Ford.

I was thinking the same, no report to insurance co, paying deducible, your not a target for a second attempt and surely premium will go up after claim, just an option for the OP if those led tails are not a big deal for him.

 

[ControlNode]

Same happened to my son. Those lights with BLIS are 1500 each from dealer. Then the BLIS are over $600 each, Plus programming. We bought screws that took security bits to remove. Makes it harder to steal anyway. Sorry this happened to you.

They'll smash them out of spite then.

 

[Scottlane1171]

Ya they might. But they won’t steal em and won’t be able to sell em. I really am pretty pissed at Ford for not addressing this issue. It’s not just rangers either. It’s been going on longer on the F-150’s and nothing being done about either truck.

 

[ControlNode]

Maybe instead of punisher and gun stickers one could try STX badges?

Seriously though why can't you just replace your stolen tail lights with the cheap STX ones? Error codes or something? They are $181 vs $942 on Fairway Ford.

Some of us use the BLIS.

 

[Zaph]

sooo found out from a buddy of mine sadly the hardway.... these stickers will also tell a thief you might have weapon in the vehicle so they will break in and see if you do. so not always the best idea either.

Something a buddy used to do who parked his car in downtown Milwaukee often - a well worn, but empty holster on the front seat. He said he watched it work. Had a window seat at a diner, watched a thug come up, look inside, step back, look around and walk away.

 

[ControlNode]

Ya they might. But they won’t steal em and won’t be able to sell em. I really am pretty pissed at Ford for not addressing this issue. It’s not just rangers either. It’s been going on longer on the F-150’s and nothing being done about either truck.

At some point the manufacture has to stop the cat and mouse game of stopping thieves just for the thieves to find a way around the new security in a 1/3 of the time it took them to design, test and adjust manufacturing to add it.

It's like the whole relay hack on the Intelligent Access (IA) system on several makes. I wrote Ford a way on how to fix it and they should be able to fix all the previous cars with it too. If they updated the BCM software so that if you double click the lock button on the remote (you get the beep confirming the vehicle is locked), turn off the IA until the car is unlocked with a press of the unlock button on the remote. Then they can't use that passive relay hack to make the car think they have the key on them to open it. I would actually like to see it also warn after a couple attempts to open with IA, and if they try a third time set the alarm off. As far as I can tell all the hardware needed to do that is present, they just need to design the software update to do it and put out a recall to update the older car's BCM firmware to add the security. But so far, I've seen no real updates to prevent the relay hack yet. In the meantime, I just keep my RS keys in a metal box at home, and the RFID blocking pocket in my backpack while out.

 

[LawnMM]

Swapped my bolts out for security torx this weekend. FYI I think it was an Amazon kit earlier in this thread, somebody mentioned no washers. That's true. Steel ones on steel don't work so great and tend to be too thin to get everything tight. I used a rubber washer, then a small steel washer under the screw, but inside a screw cap on top of the rubber one. So the metal washer fit inside the screw cap, and the screw cap helped distribute the load wider on the bigger rubber washer.

Bigger rubber washer seems better as there's some squish to it and less chance of corrosion, I hope. Will keep an eye on it.

 

[Mellow]

Here's what I'm thinking
1 - Security Screws
2 - JB Weld steelstick to cover the security screw opening
3 - some thin bed liner over that area covering most of it.

Also, have a ford tailgate lock on the way

It isn't fool proof but I won't make it easy and if they see it's no longer a quick steal then maybe they'll move on.

 

[Dean]

A while back I cracked a taillight an damaged the radar module.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...rd-swap-success-no-dealer-intervention.25816/

Funny thing... The used tail lens assembly I got off ebay ($600) came from Texas.

 

[Crow_of_judgement]

A while back I cracked a taillight an damaged the radar module.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...rd-swap-success-no-dealer-intervention.25816/

Funny thing... The used tail lens assembly I got off ebay ($600) came from Texas.

Looks like we found ops "borrowed" tail lights!

 

[Dean]

I checked my ebay history. The seller was from San Antonio, TX.

 

[Figarou]

Thought I'd point out something. I know some are doing whatever it takes to prevent the taillight from being stolen. Thing is, the thief is not going to know what you did until he opens your tailgate. Ruining the handle or lock.


Here's what I did. I went ahead and changed out originals for Anzo's. Why? Well, think of it. It's hideous, ugly, gross....you name it. So.....who wants to steal it? I looked on eBay and I can't find any used Anzo's. Just new ones for sale. The thief will think mine was already stolen. Nope. It's hidden in a safe place.



So... without further ado .....

Before you ask......no, my originals are not for sale. If I ever decide to sell the Ranger...I can put them back on if the new owner doesn't like the Anzo's.

 

[Dean]

I'm more interested as to what can be done to prevent someone from prying around the tailgate handle.

In other words could some thicker steel plate be sandwiched around it?

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