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My '99 F-150 left me stranded last weekend. When the temperature dropped below zero, the PATS wouldn't recognize my keys. The "theft" light flashed and the engine cranked but wouldn't fire. After having it towed in on Monday, the dealer replaced a relay and said it was fixed. The next morning, the same thing happened again. Towed in again.
When the dealer put the analyzer on it, there was no response from the computer. Once it sat in the warm shop for a bit, everything came to life.
They've ordered a new computer, but the service manager tells me it's going to be 7-10 days for delivery, and could even take a month!!
I was just wondering if anyone else has had similar problems, and if this delay in obtaining a replacement computer is normal?
I had one last month with a very similar problem. Sometimes it would start, sometimes it wouldn't. It seemed that when we got it into the shop it would start. The owner picked it up, went shopping and when she tried to leave it wouldn't start. I was getting a repsonse from the PCM but it said it had a PATS problem. Eventually it turned out to be a broken wire to the PATS transponder at the bottom of the steering column. If you tilted the wheel it would start, if the wheel was straight like where you would have it when driving it wouldn't.
Unless there is something really strange about your truck it normally shouldn't take more than a week to get a PCM.
would get a used ecm from yard or ebay! i would do the tilting of the wheel thing also! i personally have soldered wires back together on the column for the same problem!
if you havent got it fixed as of yet remember the shop will need both keys to reprogram it and they usualy charge around 125.00 just to program im not sure what if anything they charge for program the new one they stif you for good lusk and there are other prob that may cause that good luck