Hi everyone, An attempt was made to steal my truck and the key switch and pats sensor ripped out. My truck is 50 miles away from home and the place I pulled it to with a chain is being sold. Tow truck wants $400 to bring it home. I'm on social security and that is way more than I can afford. Is there anyway to bypass it till I can get it home? I will be happy to provide a photo of the title in my name. I have been a member of this forum for several years and I ain't trying to steal a truck. If you don't want to reply publicly my email is andermac@hotmail.com. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thx Andy McDonald

 

the key is match coded to the other components. I assume you mean the key / switch and ring are broke or gone. Do you have a spare key ? The correct key can be placed in the magnet pickup ring to get the match code signal.... You can get a new/different switch and key to turn the truck on and off, but the original key must remain positioned inside the magnet pickup ring, and can hang below the column.

 

What you said is exactly what I thought. I once rigged a cadillac the same way by leaving chip key in old lock and tying it up under dash with a cable tie. However I should have mentioned that magnetic pickup ring was damaged and it is dangling by 1 tiny copper wire. I don't know where other end comes out of coil. Do I have to replace wiring harness or can I purchase that part? I do have the original key. It is very worn and bent. I bought the truck from a friends estate and his daughter said he was having problems with it not coming out of the locked position.

 

that's a good question. I know my son slide the pickup ring down and taped the old key into it.......... but I don't know how the pickup ring is connected or hard wired to the harness. I think that's the way to go, either repair the ring, or replace the ring, then tape the original key into the ring............ Then a new ignition switch and key.

 

Well Andy I guess the steering wheel is free. With the sensor ripped out it going to be difficult but if there is a way to replace the sensor you can pull down the lower clam shell ( you have to do that anyway to replace sensor) you can take the two bolts that holds the ignition switch to the column


The switch will hang by the wires .


There will be a small rod protruding from the top of it, if you push it forward you can get it to crank . If that sensor ring is connected it will start as long as the key near it like taped to it. But you have to have the sensor connected. That will get you home GOOD LUCK

 

Geeze I just saw a news story a few day ago about 97-03 F-150s being one of the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. I was thinking they might be the base models like the XL without the PATS . If not how the heck are they stealing the PATS models


I think Andy got lucky . His attempt may have been made by an amateur or a pro that got spooked