The other week I returned from camp to find my 6.0 excursion wouldn't start, it had voltage everything was good. Turns out the problem was my key fob.
I had locked my truck with the fob and when I returned it wasn't working, so I used my key and tried to start up. Something in the security programming doesn't allow the chip in the key to override the ignition disable from using the fob.

So i painfully had my vehicle dragged out of the tight parking lot and towed to Ford. They blamed the alternator. Wanted $700 for 1hr diagnosing 2hr labour and the alternator. I promptly replaced the alternator IN their parking lot in less time.
The service rep came out to watch it start. IT DIDN'T.

so he grabs his technician. First thing the tech says is let's see your fob. It has died (new batteries so something internal) as soon as he see its dead he says I didn't get to test this cause it wasn't with the keys. This is the problem. He disconnects an electrical harness, holds it to the positive of the passenger battery and with the key in, he "jumpstarts" my truck.

Needless to say I'm furious with the stealership in not testing the simple fixes first. I just wanted to warn anyone else in case they have a similar problem. I don't know if its only excursions or 6.0 diesels. I will post a pick of the ignition bypass wire in a few weeks.

 

The key fob has nothing to do with the truck starting. I lock it with the keyfob and unlock it with the keypad or the key all the time and it starts up just fine. The truck has a PATS system, passive anti theft, there the key has a chip inside that the PATS module under the dash behind the steering column has to sense. But you can tape the key to the box and start it with a cut key. Unless they were saying the battery inside the key itself is dead. IDK exactly how that works.

 

There is no battery in the key. The steering column has an RFID reader that generates an electromagnetic field that energizes the RFID tag in the key and transmits the code to the RFID receiver.

I only have one original key and I refuse to pay the dealer $250 to program another one so I'm going with the tape a key to the inside of the steering column.

I bought 3 blanks on eBay for $15/ea and had them cut at my local locksmith for all of $2/ea.

I also have an AutoPage alarm system with remote start so I don't even really need the original key as long as I always use the remote start to bypass the PATS system.

Problem solved.

 

I have no clue how it worked either but as soon as the technician came out he tried my fob it didn't work so he jumped it under the hood. When i tried unlocking with the key The next day and starting there wouldn't be any power to the starter but then I used the keypad and it worked fine.

He said its the result of the keyfob and it being in valet mode.
I agree it doesn't make sense and its possible something else is missing too

 

Yeah I didn't think there was a battery inside the key itself, that would just seem too prone to failure. I was just trying to think of what battery could die that would keep the truck from starting.

As for valet mode? I've never heard of these trucks having a valet mode. I have had cars that had a valet key before, usually it meant it wouldn't open the glovebox or the trunk, and I guess on some newer high performance cars it limits you to low revs or cuts boost. But I've never heard of our trucks having anything like that, and if they tried to tell you it wouldn't start with a valet key or with it in valet mode, that doesn't make sense. the valet still needs to start your car!

I think you got dicked over, personally. Everything they told you just sounds like so much bs.... it doesn't add up.

 

Glad I'm not the only one! Nothing of this made any sense, I also have an inverter which is always on and shows my voltage. I've always had good charging voltage of 13.4-13.6 (unless my subs kick hard) when driving so I doubt my alternator was truly screwed.
All I know is that after all of this i went shopping, locked it with the keypad came back unlocked with the key and it wouldn't start. But since then it hasn't always done it?
I feel totally screwed over by the dealership, I work at a shop myself and you always eliminate the easiest cheapest possibilities first. I also feel the alternator wasnt necessary.