Original tonneau hard cover

[Mike DeAngelo 2]

I need some help.



I ordered my 2001 explorer sport trac in 2001 with the hard tonneau cover. More to the point, if I have a key made from the tonneau cover will it open the doors. I remember the ignition key opening the tonneau cover. I have an ignition key which will not open the doors and I don't want to take the door lock off the truck. I'd rather take the hard cover lock to the locksmith.



Thanks for your help:haveabeer:

 

[Yardsale]

... if I have a key made from the tonneau cover will it open the doors.

If the two are the same and if the door locks are not stuck, which happens.



When I ordered the OEM tonneau cover for mine, keying it to the vehicle was included in the price.



2001 STs came with one key code for the doors and ignition. You don't note whether the ignition and door locks are original to the vehicle. If they are, then the key code is the same and the door locks are probably stuck and need some TLC.

 

[Mike DeAngelo 2]

Thanks Yardsale. all locks are original. Yes, the door locks received a lot of special attention but I lost my keys years back. locksmith came out and made a key for the ignition and gave me the master. I never checked the doors. and always kept the cover off the truck and used the keyless entry. I moved and to this day don't have the key for the doors. Pain in the arse.



Do You have a lead on LEDs for the back lights? I don't want to order something that doesn't work. Oh yea, I need to get the tail down before I can access those three screws to take the lens off. Another reason to get the door key asap.

 

[Dan Long]

It sounds like your door and tailgate locks are simply frozen up, which is fairly common on our trucks. If you had a key made for the ignition, it should also work the doors if all the locks are original. WD-40 or Liquid Wrench lubricant isn't the best thing to use for locks in the long run, but a quick shot into the cylinder should free it up and get it working again.

 

[Yardsale]

If you had a key made for the ignition, it should also work the doors if all the locks are original.

Yep. Reinforces stuck locks as the problem.



Depending on how that key was made (ground and or filed), it may not be precise enough for old locks with crud in them. You may want to get one "cut" from a the key code.



No info. on LED taillights.

 

[RedRanger 7]

Way back in the 70s and 80s Fords came with two keys for ignition and doors but not in the later 90s or 2000s. :driving:

 

[Mike DeAngelo 2]

Thanks again Yardsale. I contacted FORD for a key and they stated they no longer keep that information in their data base. for the 2001 ford explorer sport trac.



I'm heading to a locksmith to have a key made with the hard cover lock. The locksmith already tried to use the ignition key in the door by using a lubricant. I laughed while he was doing it as I had already tried that on the drivers side door lock and the three others... Endlessly, because it made sense.



It's a bad key. I'll check back all of you to confirm the fact. Thanks for confirming my original key works with the hard cover as I remember it doing so when I bought the vehicle. The locksmith told me it wouldn't and he put enough doubt in my mind to ask here. I didn't trust my memory.



Locks were never changed on the vehicle. Thanks again everyone for your insight.

 

[Yardsale]

... on the drivers side door lock and the three others ...

How'd you get four doors with locks? Only the front doors have locks on mine.



More importantly, you contacted a Ford dealer and were told that they (the dealer) - or Ford (the manufacturer) - no longer have that information? I suspect that Ford (the manufacturer) has that information, but the dealer doesn't want to deal with it for a key.



Key cuts, and the associated codes, are not magic; they are sets of patterns (location and depth). A good locksmith should be able to determine the code by looking and or measuring the key, and then cut one at a more reasonable price than a dealer (and give you the code). If you have two functioning keys, you can program additional keys yourself, saving the programming cost a dealer would charge (I've seen $40.00).