Ford is about to mark 40 years of offering one of the auto industry’s least known but most appreciated features: the SecuriCode keypad. Millions of Ford and Lincoln owners have used the feature.

The Ford Securicode, or the keyless-entry keypad available on all models of Ford cars and trucks, first appeared on the 1980 Thunderbird. Even though it’s most commonly seen on the higher-end models, ...

These days, there are plenty of ways to unlock your car without a physical metal key. Ford has put Securicode keypads on the doors of its vehicles for many years, and plenty of other manufacturers ...