OK, here's the story and I hope someone can help. I have a 2002 Ford F150. My instrument cluster is broke "long story" anyway I went to the junk yard and found another one with close to the same mileage. When I installed it my "THEFT" light is flashing and the truck won't start. I took off the + and - battery terminals for 10 min. and rehooked them hoping to reset the "THEFT" light but its still flashing and the truck still won't start. Any ideas on what to do, how to reset it? I did put the old one back in so the truck will run for me until I get this figured out, I just don't have a speedometer and tach with the old cluster.


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Also, if this is being caused by the PATS system could I go get a new key from the dealership place it in the ignition and it work? What is the procedure for programming the keys? I know I had to get a new key once for my Mustang and all I did was put it in the ignition turn it on then off then start the car. Is this correct? Also, could I then still use the old keys with the old cluster if I ever put it back in? So, the keys match the cluster? Am I wrong?

 

Some of these guys in here are up on this new stuff. I am not. Seems like most of the newer vehicles now have some of this anti-theft parts on them to thwart blackmarket car parts thieves and such. I would go to the dealer and see what they say. Sorry I couldn't be any help.

 

Hey proemtpff if i rember correctly you will have to have the new
combo reflashed by dealership, do not know what it will run you.
Now how much of dash panel was acutialy replaced? The dcl
[data communication link] is now in anti theft mode & not even an
act of congress will make it budge. Find someone at a ford dealer
that you trust & run this by them see if they can help you out.
good luck turbo ted

 

did you pay for the one which you found at the junkyard?

 

We need a sticky on how all this stuff is tied together and what you can replace and get away with without going to the dealer.

 

Good idea, but you need someone who knows how it works and can give some info. And I have a feeling someone who would know ALL the ins and outs would not want to divulge their knowledge. There is a dark side to everything.

 

Maybe we can all dig up a little bit here and there and combine it into something worthwhile.

 

Yes I paid $100 for the cluster at the junkyard. I have yet to replace the broken cluster because I do NOT want to deal with the dealership. I was told buy a guy in Georgia that you don't HAVE to go to a dealership the get this fixed, some auto shops have the equipment to solve this BUT the machine cost major $$$$ so most shops won't have it.

 

this sounds fishy to me. why not go to a dealer ?it would be an easy solution to the problem. if its on the up and up. im not say its not , mind you, but if you ever run into a problem verifiying the mileage, the dealer would then back you up as why the odometer was changed, even some ins. company's are doing this when totaling a truck out

 

Well, first it is on the "up and up". Second, I don't like dealerships because I don't trust them any of them. My fathers friend owns the local dealership. I get great deals on vehicles. I just don't like the fact if I go in even for some minor body damage and things like that its all recorded. Who cares if I had it in the body shop for minor and I do meen minor damage. I paid for it to be fixed but any Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Mazda, Land-Rover and Aston Martin HAS and does know about it. Thats like our Government knowing when, where and how with everything I've ever done "None of thier D@mn business". I don't want to be interrogated by the dealership and I assure you they will, in fact they already have over the phone so I'm sure they will again when and if I go back. I'll find a "hole in the wall" shop that will just fix the problem before I rack up any more miles.

 

hey it sounds like youve read too many "big brother "books lately,as long as you dont have anything to hide, there not going to come after you,asking how a dent got in your door, the reason for dealer ships is to service the products that they sell, and their are a great many of mechanics here giving info here, that work for dealership, some dealers are better than others, i will grant that. as for the odometer , that is purposely being made difficult to change out because of milage fraud, or roll backing. people were switching them, then selling their high milage cars and trucks with low miles showing on them. to me any vechical that has been in minor or major accident should be recorded, any tampering or changes to the odometer should be made part of the vehical history, and if i'm not mistaken its the law. how would you feel if you had bought a truck and some of these things were done and you was not in formed. it has happen to others. all i was trying to do is give some sound advice to you, to save you some future headaches.



p.s. what if you sold your truck and the new owner finds out that the odometer was changed and takes it to the police? how are you going to prove what you did was on the up and up?without it being ceritfied ? just some food for thought

 

I've worked for the Government....military with HIGH security clearance.........be paranoid.

 

Without having taken apart the gauge cluster I really can't tell you a whole lot. The first thing I would look for is anything with the securicode insignia. If there is a seperate board with this on it , you may be able to swap the two so that the new console has your old security information. The securicode board may be mounted inside the odometer this would be a a problem if the odometer was the thing that was broken, if not just swap the two odometers, then you might be able to fix your problem. The last option is to completely eliminate the PATS system, but this requires a little knowledge of the truck and possibly the ECU in order to accomplish this. On the otherhand, you could always hardwire the ignition system, but there is no saying that the ECU won't cut out your EFI, so you could get it started, but not keep it running. Just like anything if there is a will there is a way. Knowledge is power, and power is money. but otherwise, good luck with the truck, I just bought one myself but with the 4.2 liter engine.


//John

 

Well youve been given plenty of advice , But youll need the factory Scanner,I know I bought one almost 3000.,So that you can download your security code & milage of your old dash its pretty complicated but its the only way ,and if you only have 1 pats key youll need the codes erased to program the 2nd or 3rd ,this can be done at the same time, Most dealers could care less why youre replacing the dash, after all most all of them have to do the same thing ,being that the digital dashes go blank on f150 and expeditions like crazy Im an ex ford dealer mech with my own shop now and we are always repairing dash problems.,and the factory scanner cannot change the miles just remember and store them for transfer ,no fraud intended.
Good Luck

 

I knew someone would come along who knew what's going on. I think I will stick with my old 1980 f150 till it finally falls apart in the road.