How to Turn Off Mykey on a Ford Without the Admin Key

I’ve lost count of the times I have been out in the car and seen a driver who should really be made to use a Ford Mykey. I’m talking about the idiots who speed and swerve through traffic like they are rushing a dying person to hospital. The truth is more likely that they forgot to set the DVR and their favorite show is about to start.

The Mykey technology from Ford is a fantastic idea in my opinion but we will go into that a little more later in the post. The main purpose of this is to help those who have lost an admin key and need to turn off Mykey.

They may be selling the car and want to remove the restrictions for the new owner if they passed their driver's test and no longer feel they need the safety warnings.

What Is Ford Mykey?

The Ford Mykey program is a relatively new initiative that can be found in certain newer Ford models. It helps assign certain driving limitations to the vehicle key that will ensure the driver using it drives in a safer manner.

You can make all of the car keys a Mykey with the exception of one. The remaining key is an admin key and has no restrictions placed on it. These admin keys are used to create and program new Mykeys and are also used to clear a Mykey of restrictions.

The table below shows lists of the standard and optional Mykey settings

Turning Off MyKey With an Admin Key

We’ll start off by explaining how the process to turn off MyKey works when you do have the admin key. This is because it is far easier so maybe search again for that key or get a new one from Ford. If this is not an option we will take a look at how it can be achieved without the admin key later in the post.

When you turn off one MyKey you turn them all off so this is something to remember. If one child has passed their driver's test and no longer needs the limitations and the other has not you will need to re-enable the other key again.

• Start the vehicle. Watch your vehicle’s onboard computer and monitor for signs of power.
• Look for the controls for your instrument cluster that are positioned on the steering wheel. To get to the main menu, press the left arrow button.
• Press “OK” to return to the main menu and select “Settings”
• After you’ve navigated to “Settings,” click on “MyKey,” and then “OK”
• Find the “Clear MyKey” option under “MyKey”
• To clear all of your MyKeys, tap and hold “OK” until the message “All MyKeys Cleared” is displayed on the screen

There is also a way in which with certain models you can turn the MyKey off for single trips. This may not work with every model but it might.

• Insert admin key into the Ford's ignition
• Turn on the ignition but not the engine
• Press and hold the unlock button on the key fob
• While holding the unlock button press the reset button three times, after the third press MyKey should now be disabled

Permanently Turn off MyKey Without Admin Key

Depending on your specific Ford model it might be easy or difficult to perform a reset of your MyKeys in order to turn them off. This is because ideally they want you to use an admin key to turn off any MyKeys.

In order to turn off MyKey without an admin key you will need a third party app to help you with this. The best app to use is FORScan and you may need to check on specific processes for your vehicle to avoid issues.

The explanation below is a broad idea of how the process should work but again it can depend on the model and year of your car so check for more specifics.

What You Will Need

• Access to the Ford Computer in the car
• FORScan Software in the form f the App
• USB OBD II Adapter

Reprogram the MyKey

This is the first step in the process but needs to be complete. It should be noted you are not turning the MyKey off yet you are just reprogramming the key.

• Put the MyKey into the vehicle's ignition or the backup slot if the car is push button start
• Allow the electrics to come on and the cars display screen to load up. Go to the main menu and select settings
• Under settings locate “MyKey” and click on the suboption “Create MyKey”
• Press OK when prompted

The reset may take a few minutes to complete but once you have done so the key will have been reprogrammed.

Connect the OBD Adapter to the Cars Computer

This is a simple step; you merely have to plug the USB OBD II Adapter into the Ford computer using the USB connection.

Access FORScan

If you have the FORScan app on your phone you can now connect that phone to the other end of the adapter. This will give you a direct connection to the car's internal computer. Open up the FORScan app on your phone.

Once the app loads you need to choose the wrench icon from the main page. This will take you to Service Functions. You will need to choose BdyCM PATS programming and be sure that during this the truck is on but not running.

Remove the MyKey

After waiting for a while for the PATS module to be fully accessed press the “Ignition Key Programming” option. Once selected turn off your ignition and remove the key. Wait a few moments and then put the key back in and turn the car back on but still do not start the engine.

Turning Off the MyKey Settings

There will now be a 10 minute security check which once complete should allow your MyKey to be fully reprogrammed. You will have to prove you have authority to be in this car so be prepared to do so.

Once the MyKey is fully reprogrammed you will return to the main menu on your car's display and scroll to MyKey options. Choose to “Clear MyKey” and then turn the car off once again.

It should be noted at this point that the above only works with certain models of trucks and there may be other requirements with other Ford vehicles.

You Should Use an Admin Key

It’s not easy turning off the MyKey functions without the admin key and in some models may not be possible at all. You should make sure that you have definitely lost the admin key before even considering this.

You also have the option of getting a new key from Ford which may in fact be less hassle than trying to turn off MyKey without an admin key.

If you’re a teenager trying to get around mom and dad's rules about driving I get it, rebellion is fun. But they are not doing this to be cruel, they legitimately want you to be safe in the car. You’ll be old enough soon and won't have these restrictions. Leave the MyKey alone so you get to live long enough to grow up.

Conclusion

The MyKey is a great program found in all new Ford vehicles and could ultimately be a life saver. It is great for learning drivers allowing them to develop good habits when it comes to driving.

It may be necessary at some point to turn off the MyKey function but generally speaking you need an admin key to do this. There are however some options to turn it off without the admin key if it is really needed.

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