after not using my 2002 escape for a few days, i decided it would be fun to go for a drive. i used the remote starter...the lights flashed, the horn chirped, and then all i heard was clicking. i knew that was a bad thing so i ran over to it. the keyless entry wouldn't work, so i had to manually open the door and then disable the alarm. i tried to start it with the key and got the same clicking. i ended up banging on the starter and got nothing out of it. i was late so i left with a friend. the next day when i got home i tried again. sometimes the keyless works, but i think the battery has lost too much to have any effect on it now. the problem now is that the ignition does nothing when turned over...which is probably due to the almost dead battery. what really puzzles me is the fact that the red light for the alarm constantly blinks and the alarm sounds like it wants to chirp...it's a very faint sound, about one-third the volume of the sound it makes when using the keyless pad...anyway this only happens when i unlock the door. if i insert the key and switch it to "on" everything stops. as soon as i turn the key back it starts doing the same thing. my first action will be to disconnect the battery and see if i can reset the problem, but i'm in college and am waiting for tools from a friend because for no apparent reason, i don't even have a pair of pliers with me. this is just a problem that i have never even heard of before, and if i can't correct it by resetting and then charging the battery again, i will have no idea where to go from there. i would appreciate anyone's thoughts on the matter because i would love to sell the vehicle to save some money and this is appearing to be a major obstacle

 

I suspect that your battery failed, but you need a voltmeter to check it. Do you know someone with a pair of jumper cables that can give you a boost? If not, you'll have to remove the battery and take it to a service station for charging and a load check to determine if it is still good. Whether you install a new battery or reinstall the old one after charging, make sure you clean the battery cable connectors with sandpaper or a wire brush.

 

okay i attempted to charge the battery with the jumper cable method...after about 8 min i tried to start it. the alarm went off and the switch under the dash did nothing. it eventually shut off, but the ignition was still dead. after that the battery was completely gone and wouldn't take a charge at all. i replaced the battery and as soon as i opened the door to try it out the alarm went again. i couldn't get it to stop so i tried to start it and once again got nothing. i finally just disconnected the battery to save my ears. i think i now have some kind of major issue with the alarm. first of all it would make sense to me if it disables the ignition when it is activated, so i really am not surprised that i couldn't get it ot start. i just really have no idea what to do to make the alarm stop malfunctioning. it is supposed to be disabled by switching it to "on" and holding the button under the dash, but it's not that simple any more. i guess the logical thing to do would be to contact a dealer and see if they can help me out. i will probably have to end up doing that, but feel free to offer any insight on this if you have any.

 

If the alarm won't reset with a fully charged battery, I agree that you will need to get some expert troubleshooting help. Was it a dealer-installed alarm sytem?

 

i talked to a ford technician and was told that ford has never offered a remote starter as an option. i called someone specializing in alarm systems and i got as far as unplugging the module for the system. now the alarm/starter/keyless entry is disabled, but i'm still getting the same problem with the ignition. nothing happens when i turn the key over. everything on the dash lights up, but it won't attempt to do anything when i try to start it. there is no turning over, no clicking...just complete silence.

 

Just a guess here, but that's how the PATS works when it doesn't recognize the transponder chip in the ignition key. It disables the starter relay. The remote starting system may have bypassed PATS or provided a transponder signal and now that it's unplugged, PATS doesn't recognize your keys. Unfortunately, PATS needs two operating keys before another can be programmed. Absent that, a dealer or locksmith with the proper scan tool needs to reprogram the system to recognize the keys.

 

what kind of alarm is it I think the problem you have is that the plug you pulled from the alarm has unhooked the starter wiring most alarm have a wire that intercepts the starter relay curcuit. if you tell me what kind of alarm maybe I can tell you which wires to splice back together as that is more then likely whats wrong