Hi Scotty,

 About a week ago I purchased a 2003 Ford F250 SuperDuty XLT with the 5.4L engine, automatic overdrive trans & 4x4 with 164,xxx miles. No codes or warning lights.

When I purchased it, the key was stuck (and still is stuck) in the ignition. The seller claimed it was something about the gear indicator adjustment being off or low voltage, everything else I was told thus far was a lie so I just went by what the overall condition was & what beyond the ignition needed replacement.

I ran into a snag as far as getting a new ignition as I can't figure out if it's a transponder key or not, it was only an option for the Super Duty that year unlike the F150 & can't purchase a new ignition until that's sorted out.

Onto what happened yesterday....I drove for about thirty minutes, parked & shut off the engine for under five minutes. I came out to a no crank. All other ignition positions respond but nothing from start.

Thinking it may have needed a jump, I tried that with zero luck (a later check with my voltmeter confirmed I didn't need one) & tapping on the starter did nothing.

With no other options I had a tow truck come, the driver tried several common theft methods to start it, including jumping an underhood connection. He looked around & found a cheap BestBuy astroflex 3100 remote start/alarm/immobilizer along with a trailer brake of the same brand, the latter couldn't be shut off.

Another item I was not told about. After tracing wires I had to pull the fuse panel to find the control unit, the install is a rats nest of poorly done connections, additional inline fuses & electrical tape. There were several (speaker) wires which looked to be either dead ends or grounds & were cut by the previous owner. I can't find any connection which they may have been a part of.

Aside from the alarm, could anything else be causing this? Also do you know a way of determining if the factory ignition had the security/transponder type key? I'm unsure if this could be related but the shift knob with the overdrive on/off button doesn't function & just comes off without any effort.

By the fit & feel it looks like they jammed whatever ignition they could find at a junkyard in so I'm unsure if I'll have to get a locksmith involved to program in a new ignition. I'm hoping to avoid that & use a standard keyed ignition if possible because labor rates in Connecticut are insane(a single key without being cut or programmed is $150).

Beyond the purchase price I already sank over $1k into it since purchasing the truck. That's more than I get in a month on disability so it's quickly becoming a "do I just get rid of it before I lose all of my money" situation.