Ford Transit Alarm upgrades
Up until 2018 the Ford Transit Cargo alarm would disarm when the driver’s door lock was forced to open! Last week I got my hands on a 2019 Ford Transit Cargo to see if this was still a problem.
My first job was to test the factory central locking to see if the van had the updated firmware I read about following on from the well publicized issues with the UK models. In the past, the factory alarm would disarm the rear doors would unlock if the driver’s door barrel was picked! So much for deadlocks hey!
2018 Transit Cargo Security updated
The good news is that this issue seems to have been fixed. I don’t think Ford NZ have any interest in updating the firmware on older vans, but hope I’m wrong about this. They failed to get back to me when I contacted them about it last year 🙁
I do have my own fix for the pre-facelift Transit for those who don’t get any help from the Ford dealership.
The issue with the alarm disarming with the door key was also an issue with the pre 2018 Transit Custom.
2026 Update
I have just had another look at the Transit Cargo and can confirm that all New Zealand models come with a perimeter alarm only. All info here is still valid for the current models,
Ford Transit alarm system
What does the Ford Transit Cargo alarm do?
Well, it has a perimeter alarm which means it covers the doors, boot, and bonnet. If the alarm is triggered then it will honk the horn and flash the hazard lights.
As I mentioned before, the early models disarmed when the driver’s door got mechanically unlocked, but this has now been fixed with the 2018 updates.
Lack of internal protection
The alarm lacks an internal movement sensor so you may want to consider an upgrade if you keep valuable tools in the back.
FordPass 2020 update
Making the Ford Transit Cargo secure
My recommendation is the Vodafone Automotive 4822 Enhanced CAN-BUS upgrade alarm which works with the factory remote. It has a super loud siren and honks the horn. It is significantly louder than the factory system.
Ultrasonic movement sensors cover the cabin area of the van. The 4822 also comes with a level sensor as standard.
I recommend adding a PIR sensor to protect the load area if the van has a partition.
Van security tips
Read my post about van security for more information and advice about keeping your tools and contents secure.
