Hello:

Thanks for any help you may offer. I'm having trouble with a 1999 Ford F150 XLT 4.2L manual transmission and intermittent anti theft. Occasionally, antitheft will blink rapidly - engine will crank all day long, but won't start. I have one original key and two aftermarket keys which all work - except when the intermittent anti theft problem occurs. I get no codes using my scan tool at the OBD port. Anti theft light blinks 1:1 if I leave the ignition on and wait for the antitheft light to stop blinking rapidly (code 11?) I checked all the fuses, swapped the relays, had battery load tested at auto parts store (two year old battery is good). Nothing remedies this problem, so I decided to check out the transceiver.
I understand the blinking code 11 means the PATS transceiver is not registering a signal. So I pulled the column covers off, took out the ignition tumbler, cleaned everything up (lots of dust) and put the ignition tumbler back in. Ironically, after this the Truck started many times, but after many successful starts - went back to the fast blinking antitheft problem again. (Truck will crank, no start.)
If I disconnect and check for voltage at the Pats transceiver connection when this happens (with the ignition key turned on) - there's four wires to this - I don't read any voltage among any of the four. Could use any advice from here - not sure where to check next.

 

I believe that PATS codes are in the body control module (BCM).
Most cheapie code readers will only read codes from the PCM.
You will need an advanced scanner device or a program/app such as Forscan to read all the different modules.

You may want to check the wiring for chafe spots and all the connectors in that system throughout the steering column. If the tilt column is shifted up & down every time the driver gets in and out, that can cause wiring issues.

 

Hi Sam I am.

Checked for chafing - didn't see anything in the column wiring or under dash. I don't regularly adjust the column tilt feature to get in or out (I keep it set in the same position all the time), but I did test it by rotating it up and down to see if the wiring was pulled - it doesn't appear to be pulled or chafed anywhere, and changing column position doesn't affect the intermittent antitheft blinking / no start condition that I get, but thanks for the idea. My scanner was expensive, but it doesn't seem to pull any code problem related to this, as you suggested - it seems to only read P codes. I called the local autoparts store and they said their other scanners also won't read Antitheft codes. Not sure about where to get a Forscan tester, yet.
The check engine light goes out when I crank it during the antitheft condition. Still no power to the transceiver connector. When it does intermittently start, the antitheft goes out after three seconds, as expected and it runs perfect. Never know when it will or won't start, however. Unpredictable PATS problem for me. Coincidentally, the odometer lights up and reads the mileage (no dashes). The odometer did have the notorious F150 sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't issue from time to time, however, though I don't think this has any relation to PATS problems. Any other ideas?

 

I have the column currently apart for testing - and it started dozens of times last week and I couldn't get it to do the intermittent antitheft problem for 5 days while I thought it was just a bad transceiver. I ordered a new one from the Ford Dealership to have on hand just in case ($125 for the Ford Genuine Transceiver). I haven't installed it, because I'm not convinced that it's the problem - since I don't read voltage at the incoming connection for the transceiver while it does the rapid blinking antitheft now with the ignition turned. Would the cluster prevent voltage from getting to the transceiver connection? Thanks for your advice.

 

There is also a mention of the HEC Dealer Test Mode in one thread here, and I'm curious if you'd recommend trying this on my odometer - and if it would give me any further clues. Like many, I feel cursed by PATS, because nobody is trying to steal anything around here. My truck just seems to think it's being stolen when it wants to..

 

you can get an ELM327 adapter with a switch for the high speed bus signals from amazon. Search for ELM327 and forscan. Forscan is the free software that can works with the ELM327 adapter.

Your intermittent problem leads me to think it is an intermittent connection problem somewhere. There is a well known problem with cold solder joints in the cluster - I had it and fixed it in my 2001. I have not seen any other cases (in the last few years) of this effecting PATS but if you have seen the odometer go out then it is worth taking the 30 minutes to re-flow the solder joints and look for other potential problem points.

The transceiver is basically a coil antenna that reads the RFID chip in your key. I suppose it is possible that there is a break in one of the fine wires making up the coil. Maybe it will fix your problem. During my search I found one for a lot cheaper from an online dealer of genuine ford parts but I do not recall the exact one.

 

What is the digital odometer doing when the engine fails to start with a PATS event present?

 

On my vehicle the digital odometer typically reads the odometer mileage during one of these PATS events (no dashes).

 

I did some more research on this today checking wires with the voltmeter for continuity and cleaning out the dust and dirt from inside the steering column. I read that the dealership has an adapter they put on the PATS input connector to easily take Voltage and Ohm readings from the connector because the terminals are very small and it's not easy to backprobe the connector etc. The Mustang forum I read suggested being careful about probing the connector as the small holes easily can get distorted from the tips of your probe. I read that a blinking code 11 corresponds to the B1681 code (no signal from transceiver). In any event, I don't have the Ford adapter so I decided to sharpen my Voltmeter probe tips to a needle point on my beltsander to get a better fit in the four wire female side of the transceiver connector and to backprobe both sides of the connector for voltage. Using the sharpened points, I found I had voltage on the back of the incoming side, but not the other. I pulled the connector apart and put it back together a few times with light dialectric grease and got voltage across the connector. However the original transceiver still doesn't seem to be reading the key or sending a signal - so I'm going to replace the transceiver with the new one tomorrow afternoon and see if that solves it. Thanks for your suggestions.
.

 

I read somewhere that you have to disconnect your battery, install and connect the new transceiver and then reconnect your battery to initialize the new transceiver. Elsewhere I read that you can just install it and plug it in without any problem.
Might try the first method tomorrow, but I would take any advice you have here or opinion on this part of the installation.

 

Replacement of the PATS transceiver is a simple plug and pay exercise, there is no programming or initialization required on any Ford.

I've never head of any "Ford adapter" for probing the PATS system. Apparently, neither have the authors of the Ford factory workshop manuals since there's no such adapter mentioned in them.

FWIW, there is no listing in any of Ford's service documentation for correlating lamp flash codes to a DTC. The only sources I've ever come across that provided definitions for the LFCs was from the UK for the Scorpio back in the 90s or from later European sources. I have no idea whether or not the North American systems would follow the same protocols.

 

I have had a few PATS issues over the years
always has been the key, cloned or generic chipped failed/failing

also any PATS issue I've had the truck will not turn over, does absolutely nothing but flash that stupid light at me.

as mentioned for about $30 you can get an ELM adapter and FREE software from Forscan.
the Forscan software reads all modules available and with full license (also FREE) allows YOU to program your own keys

so all your guesswork is really senseless

www.Forscan.org

 

A '99 does not have a starter interrupt. It will crank until something dies when PATS is triggered but never start.

I've seen more bad PCM Power Relays get blamed for PATS events than anything else, but those can be identified by what the digital odometer on the F150 displays (or doesn't). Other than that, failed transceivers is the usual cause. Keys that are actually bad comes in pretty much at the back of the pack.

 

Thanks for the link to the adapter G4x4 on Ebay. I ordered one. You are right that blinking light can be a real show stopper. For this 99 antitheft the starter cranks the engine all day - but won't fire - like ProjectSHO 89 indicated, so these 99's must not have the starter kill that your truck has. I also found a lot of PATS info on UK sites and European sites as well as the Mustang Forums. Seems they've had plenty of problems with PATS too in many vehicles.
Headed to the dealer, because the PATS transceiver they ordered for me looks very different from the original. Parts counter ran the numbers on the computer for me, so it says they changed the numbers and design apparently. The silver halo under the ring is now embedded in plastic and the transceiver box doesn't mount under the column with a torx screw anymore - it hangs to the side. This part is all rigid, shorter and without the flexible center section - wires are all a different color from the originaI. hope this works.

 

ProjectSHO89 said the same thing that a locksmith told me over the phone. It's not so often the keys. He guided me through some and had me check the voltage during the PATS antitheft event around the transceiver terminals. There is other information on the internet about probing the terminals for Voltage, and Ohmage readings to determine where the signal is getting lost.
The locksmith I talked to before going to this forum told me - If you have voltage at the transceiver connector, with the key on he said it was most likely the transceiver is dudding out - with the symptoms above that you might see for a 1999. Not sure about other years. I understand they went to a PATS 2 system in subsequent years. At this point I know more about PATS than I want to. Fascinating, though. I'm really just a Biologist who never realized my truck would turn south over something like the PATS antitheft system.