Freightliner Keys

ATeam · May 8, 2011

There was a bit of excitement at the truck stop this morning. A driver tried to force his way into a parking spot and had not a driver in the adjacent spot laid on his air horn, a crash would have happened for sure. The errant driver continued to have problems so the driver of the parked truck jumped out to direct him and protect his own truck.

In the excitement, the parked-truck driver locked himself out of his truck. The commotion attracted many eyes and in a matter of minutes, half a dozen drivers were gathered around, offering their Freightliner keys to the driver to try in his truck, as it is well known that one Freightliner truck's key will fit many others.

I'm just wondering, is it still the case that one Freightliner key will fit multiple trucks? Or have more recent models been made with keys unique to each truck? It always seemed nuts to me to build a truck that costs tens of thousands of dollars or more, and then give keys that will fit it to hundreds if not thousands of other people.

Dakota · May 8, 2011

I don't think freightliner is the only company, if they build 150,000 trucks there really can't be that many different key combos. I don't know the exact number, they probably don't advertise it, it could be 100 key combos or 500 key combos.
lots of locks from cars to houses use only a certain number of keys. Also they have skeleton or passkeys for lots of different locks
My Grandfather who was a contractor, had a few keys on a ring that would open nearly all the home locks
kwikset, schlage etc etc.
Locks really only keep honest people honest, if someone wants your property, they will get it.

greg334 · May 8, 2011

Shhh... don't tell Phil that Volvo has the same problem and someone out there has a key that will open his truck.

chefdennis · May 8, 2011

I can tell you that all domestic auto/ light truck manfactures (and probably all foreign aslo) "rotate" keys..as in use the same keys in numberous cars/trucks during a given production run...

Now that being said, ignition keys have for more then a few yrs had "chips" embedded in them making them a 1 off key...but not door keys...

golfournut · May 9, 2011

Here's how it works. On a standard 5 pin 6 depth system, there are 15625 possible useable combinations. Up to about 1989 to about 1992 Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan all used that system in one form or another. GM added to it by using additional "keyways" (the lands and grooves on the side of the keys). By doing so, they reduced the amount of duplicate keys. GM also has used a side bar lock to reduce "picking" and "impressioning" (the skill of making a key from scratch using a file). GM came out with the computer chip in the 90s. If I remember right, there was 5 or 6 resistive measurements on 1 keyway for ignition only. At about the same time, Ford came out with the 10 pin double sided system and a sidebar lock and using the ignition key to operate the doors, the trunk still needed a separate key.
Meanwhile, the Japanese and some European auto makers went to a 10 pin double sided "convenience" key that worked everything on the vehicle. They also provided a "valet" key that would not operate the trunk. That was before trunk releases. They also started using a new keyway for each new model year.
The manufactures rate each model in terms of theft potential and supply the appropriate key and lock system. They have determined long ago that big trucks don't rate on the theft thresholds, so the keying system is the least secure there by giving more opportunity of "incidental" duplication. Even from year to year, model to model and manufacture to manufacture. They try to disguise the keys by changing the head of the key. The head has no mechanical use for the locking mechanism. The locking mechanisms in the big trucks are pretty antiquated. Other than the convenience of key and door being the same key, they offer little in terms of actual security. They offer about the same degree of security as an office desk!
The Europeans have gotten fairly sophisticated in their key systems. From "sidewinder" to dimple keys. Not only are the amount of combinations more abundant, but specific vehicle uniqueness comes into play.

matlack · May 9, 2011

I remember years ago when I was delivering new trucks working

as a "Piggybacker" that most large truck fleets (many that "slip-

seat" and municipal fleets) that order like 25 or more trucks at a

time, are ordered to be keyed alike or to only have a few

different key patterns to avoid having so many different keys in

the shop.

With this the fleet's shop or office only has to have a few

different patterns of keys.

Some fleets use two different keys that fit the same year of

truck for the fleet; one key fits the even number VIN's and

the other key fit the odd number VIN's of the same make

and year within their fleet.

Their was some models of Freightliners that if you punched the

door in the right spot it would unlock it.

On some trucks; if the door shut partially it would lock by

itself.

Most of the "Piggybackers" also carried tryout keys.

chefdennis · May 9, 2011

Matlack , you can correct me if i am wrong, but i think I remember some of those Matlack driver that delivered to the Sohio Stations saying those old "B" model Macks were all keyed the same....

moose · May 9, 2011

i think we are missing the KEY word in the OP being "still"

( as in 'I'm just wondering, is it still the case that one Freightliner key will fit multiple trucks?' )

we all know that those trucks (FLD,Argosy,century,Coronado,classic,Columbia) can have the same key,
or can easily braked into ,(heck there's a special hole in the door button just for that ! )
question is, how'bout them new tree hungers buggy's ?

scottm4211 · May 9, 2011

Did any of the other drivers keys work?

AMonger · May 9, 2011

When someone used a key to break into a Freightliner I had parked at the TA in Denton, TX, while I was sleeping in it, I was told that there are only 7 Freightliner door keys. Had I not had a ferocious dachshund sleeping by my side, they'd have gotten me for sure.

While I understand it's not feasible to have 20,000 of them, surely 7 is far too few.

Dakota · May 9, 2011

Good thing I'm honest since I still have those some of those passkeys my grandfather had

Deville · May 9, 2011

So did the dude get back in his truck?

ts675 · May 10, 2011

When I worked for Coca Cola a few years ago all their trucks were keyed the same. I can tell you from previous exp that the Freightshaker keys still fit more than just the truck they are given to.