How Ford MyKey Works to Keep Your Teen Driver Safe

Ford's safety tech lets you program various safety and convenience features.

Bob Sorokanich | 

May 29, 2024 | 3 min read

Ford

If you're the parent of a teenage driver, you likely worry about what they're up to when they're behind the wheel. Ford's MyKey is a safety feature that might bring you some peace of mind.

How MyKey Works

MyKey allows you to assign certain safety features to one or more of your vehicle's keys. An administrator key is used to activate or deactivate MyKey settings for all other keys. Whenever a limited key is used to start the car, certain safety features are automatically activated. The children get limited keys, while the administrator key remains in the hands of a parent.

You can program multiple keys to activate restricted driver modes, but you can't set individual limitations for specific keys. All limited keys will activate the same vehicle settings.

What MyKey Does

When MyKey is in use, the restricted key will activate certain safety features by default. Seat-belt reminders will continuously chime whenever the driver or front-seat passenger is unbelted. On certain models, the stereo will go mute until seat belts are buckled. The low-fuel warning will turn on sooner, giving drivers more time to plan a fuel stop.

A restricted key will automatically turn on all available driver-assistance features, such as blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and traction and stability control, and prevent them from being switched off via dashboard buttons or touchscreen settings. Also, when MyKey is active, vehicles equipped with satellite radio will restrict any channels categorized as adult content.

You can program specific MyKey settings to further keep drivers safe. You can set a vehicle-speed warning that flashes an alert and plays a warning tone whenever the driver exceeds a set speed. For even more control, MyKey lets you set a maximum vehicle speed that can't be overridden, with an audio warning when that speed is reached.

MyKey also lets you limit the maximum stereo volume to 45%. On some models, you can activate Do Not Disturb mode with the restricted key, which silences smartphone notifications while the vehicle is in motion.

MyKey Has Some Limitations

While MyKey can recognize a restricted key and adjust the vehicle's settings when that key is in use, currently you can't create custom profiles for individual keys. Each key is either restricted or unrestricted. You'll also have to keep track of your administrator key. Without it you won't be able to deactivate MyKey restrictions.

If the vehicle detects both a restricted key and the administrator key in the vehicle at the same time, it defaults to the unrestricted administrator settings. Bear this in mind if you ride shotgun with your family member and don't want them blasting past your preset speed limit.

MyKey functionality may vary with some models. Refer to your owner's manual for information specific to your vehicle.

Bob Sorokanich

Bob Sorokanich is a car-obsessed journalist and editor who manages to maintain an old Mini Cooper and a love affair with automobiles while living in New York City. When he's not thinking about cars, he's riding his motorcycle, and when he's not riding his motorcycle, he's anticipating his next joy ride.