2014 Ford F-150 four-button remote start key fob: identifying, programming and buying used

Owners of a 2014 F-150 (a King Ranch in the case that prompted this page) often want a spare four-button fob with the remote start button, because a replacement from a dealer can be costly and a used or aftermarket one looks cheaper. The risk is buying a fob that looks right but cannot be programmed to the truck. This guide covers what Ford's own documentation says about the fob, how to identify the right one, and how programming works.

In this guide

What the four buttons do

Ford's 2014 F-150 owner's manual describes a remote control that locks and unlocks the doors, sounds a panic alarm, helps locate the truck with a horn-and-flash car finder function, and, on trucks with the remote start feature, starts the engine from outside. Trucks with remote start have a longer operating range than the roughly 33 feet (10 m) quoted for other transmitters.¹ The four-button layout is the remote start version of the standard fob.

Which fob type does your truck use?

The 2014 owner's manual describes two types of transmitter on the F-150, and the difference matters when buying:¹

• Integrated keyhead transmitter: a metal key blade with the transmitter built into the head. The blade starts the truck and unlocks the driver door, and the transmitter portion works as the remote. It uses a CR2032 coin battery.
• Intelligent access transmitter: a push-button-start system. With one of these, the manual says you must press START/STOP while applying the brake after a remote start before driving, whereas with a keyhead transmitter you turn the ignition on.

The two are not interchangeable, so confirm which your truck has: a keyed ignition means a keyhead transmitter, a START/STOP button means an intelligent access key. The manual also notes that the keys came with a security label carrying key-cut information, which is worth keeping.¹

How to identify the exact fob

Owners on an F-150 forum thread about replacement fobs gave the same advice: match the part number and FCC code printed on the existing fob (one poster said they are printed under the valet key on the key).² Practical steps:

1. Read the FCC ID and any "164-R" or similar part number printed on the fob or inside the case, and write them down.
2. Look at the button layout (lock, unlock, tailgate/panic, remote start) and whether it has a flip or fixed blade.
3. Compare against the listing, and ask the seller for a photo of the back of the fob.

Aftermarket vendors commonly list the FCC ID CWTWB1U793 for four-button remote-head keys on 2011-2014 F-series trucks, with a 315 MHz transmitter and the H75 keyway. This could not be confirmed from Ford documentation or the FCC database, so treat it as a lead and match against your own fob's label. Forum posts on remote start installations also mention that these trucks used transponder chips described as either 40-bit or 80-bit; a poster on a car-audio installation forum said that installers must determine which one is fitted.³ A used fob with the wrong chip generation will not start the truck even if it unlocks the doors.

How Ford says to program a spare

For an integrated keyhead transmitter, the owner's manual describes a procedure you can do yourself if you already have two previously programmed coded keys and the new key within reach. It programs both the engine immobilizer code and the remote entry portion at once.¹ In outline:

1. Put the first programmed key in, switch the ignition from off to on and keep it on at least three but no more than ten seconds, then switch it off and remove the key.
2. Within ten seconds (but after three), do the same with the second programmed key.
3. Within ten seconds, insert the new key and switch the ignition on for at least six seconds, until the door locks cycle.
4. Remove the key. If programming worked, it starts the engine and the remote functions work.

If it fails, wait 20 seconds and repeat; if it still fails, the manual says to see an authorized dealer. Read the whole procedure in your own manual before starting, as the timings are strict, and note that the manual limits the system to a maximum number of coded keys, with only four of them integrated keyhead transmitters.¹ If you do not have two programmed keys, the manual points you to an authorized dealer. Independent locksmiths and some owners using diagnostic software also program these keys, as forum posters describe, but that is outside Ford's documented procedure.² Ford's support page repeats the two-key requirement.⁴

Replacing the battery does not remove the transmitter from the truck, according to the manual.¹

How the remote start itself works

From the same manual: lock the doors with the lock button, then press the remote start button twice, each press within three seconds. The exterior lamps flash twice; if the system fails to start, the horn sounds unless quiet start is enabled. The truck runs for 5, 10 or 15 minutes depending on the setting, and repeating the sequence while it runs extends the time. One press of the button turns it off.¹

Remote start will not work if the ignition is on, the alarm has triggered, the feature is disabled in the information display, the hood is open, the transmission is not in park, battery voltage is low, or the service engine soon light is on.¹ The manual warns never to use it where exhaust can build up, such as an enclosed garage, and notes that some states and provinces restrict remote start use.

What to check on a used fob

• The FCC ID and part number match your original, and the fob type matches your truck (keyhead versus intelligent access).
• Whether it has been previously programmed to another vehicle. Ask the seller; some fobs are "refurbished" and may need a locksmith-level reset or may not be reusable.
• The case, buttons and battery contacts for wear, and that the blade is uncut or can be cut to your key code.
• Whether the seller accepts returns if it will not program.
• After purchase, replace the CR2032 battery, then try the programming procedure above, testing both the remote functions and engine start.

If programming fails, a dealer or automotive locksmith with the right equipment can tell you whether the fob is the problem.

Replacement shell, replacement remote or complete coded key?

These are three different purchases, even when the product photograph looks identical.

A shell can be useful when the buttons or housing are damaged, but it is not a spare working key by itself. Ask for photographs of the actual item and its label. "Fits Ford" and "four-button" are too broad to establish compatibility with a particular 2014 F-150.

Before ordering, get a complete price from the locksmith or dealer who will finish the job. Include cutting, programming and any charge for attempting to use a customer-supplied fob. Confirm whether that business accepts used or aftermarket keys; buying a cheap part first can leave you without someone willing to program it.

Does a remote-start button add remote start to my truck?

A button is not evidence that the vehicle has the required equipment or configuration. Ford describes remote start as an equipped feature in the owner's manual.¹ Establish what is already installed before buying a remote for it.

The doors unlock, but the engine will not start. Is the key working?

Only part of the job has been demonstrated. Test door locking, unlocking, normal engine starting and the remote-start function separately where fitted. Ask the programmer to confirm the immobilizer side as well as the remote functions before calling the replacement complete.

Sources and further reading

1. 2014 F-150 Owner's Manual, Ford Motor Company: Keys and Remote Controls and Passive Anti-Theft System sections.
2. Affordable Key Fob Replacement, F150Forum: owner opinion, attributed.
3. Forum post on 2011-2014 F-150 remote start, the12volt.com: installer opinion on 40-bit and 80-bit transponders.
4. How do I program a spare key for my Ford?, Ford Canada