Your vehicle's antitheft device protects you, but accidental alarms can keep you and the whole neighbourhood awake at night. If you know the right sequence of actions to carry out, you can reset your Ford Explorer's Anti Theft device. Learning how to reset it ahead of time will help you deal with it more effectively if (or when) the alarm does go off.

Unlock and enter the vehicle. Sit in the driver's seat. This places you in the most convenient position for accessing the ignition switch and the override button. After you have reset the alarm once and know what to do, you will probably be able to reset the alarm more quickly by simply leaning in from outside through your open door.

  • Your vehicle's antitheft device protects you, but accidental alarms can keep you and the whole neighbourhood awake at night.
  • After you have reset the alarm once and know what to do, you will probably be able to reset the alarm more quickly by simply leaning in from outside through your open door.

Insert your key into the ignition switch. Turn the key. Sometimes, this will turn off the alarm. Otherwise, proceed to Step 3.

Find the valet/override switch. The valet/override switch is a small button under the dash near your knee. This button is either very small and spring-loaded, in which case it will be red or black, or it will be larger and flippable. Press or flip the switch. You have only five seconds from when you turn the ignition key to use the switch. The alarm will chirp a single time.

  • Insert your key into the ignition switch.
  • You have only five seconds from when you turn the ignition key to use the switch.

If your valet/override switch is spring-loaded, you are done. If it's a toggle switch, rearm your system by flipping the switch to its original position.

TIP

Locate your valet/override switch before you have to use it. You won't have long to press it when you need to. If you don't press the switch in time, remove your ignition key and reinsert it.