Help ! Pats problem

[Glenn-ho]

The wife went to start the MM Saturday and it would not do anything. I go out and try myself and nothing. I get my scanner and try to pull any codes and find nothing. Then I notice that the pats light is flashing. I go get our spare key and same thing with that one. Every thing else is working. I check the battery with a load tester and it is showing 6 volts. I buy a motorcraft battery install it and the pats lights still blinks rapidly with both keys. I leave one key in while I go to get my scanner and the pats light is out when I get back. It starts right up. I try the other key and it will not work. Pats light flashes rapidly. I happen to have a couple of rotunda key blanks so I go get them cut. I come back and try to start the MM with the key that worked and the pats light is flashing again. I remove the key, lock the doors, unlock them insert the key again the pats light flashes again then goes out after about a minute and allows me to start it again. Same thing today. Key that worked lpats light flashes rapidly and then goes out after about a minute or so. I now only have one key that starts the MM some times. We all no what that means. Dealer or locksmith to program another key. I had a 1601 fault which i think is uncoded key. I think the PCM might have a problem. Anybody else have this problem? Could the bad battery have killed the pats in the PCM? Could both keys go bad? I noticed when the pats light flases rapidly the check engine light also flashes? Checked for 12 volt at the OBD2 connector and for an open at terminal 4 & 5 at the OBD2 connector since it will not allow a scanner to check for any codes now. Nobody else has had this problem? Figures!

Found the problem. A very small cut in the wire harness right next to a factory splice. Yellow wire with a black stripe. Small cut must have allowed water in and corroded it green. It was hard to find because the cut was very small. Located in the front of the left fender right where the wire harness starts to turn to go across the frame rails.

[SpartaPerformance]

You may have killed the 2nd key. If you trip the PATS system because of one bad key and you insert the second one you can wipe it out. While you have 1 key still "functioning" go to dealer or a locksmith that can cut and program pats keys before you kill them both.

BTW: NEVER insert an uncoded key without two full functional keys. You got lucky this time that one still works.

[justbob]

Only options here.

1. Do as said above
2. Get an Xcal and have a tuner turn the Pats OFF.

[fastblackmerc]

Only options here.

1. Do as said above
2. Get an Xcal and have a tuner turn the Pats OFF.

Can you turn the PATS off?

I don't think so.........

[Dennis Reinhart]

Can you turn the PATS off?

I don't think so.........


You can it is very easy

[frdwrnch]

B1601 indicates incorrect code recieved from transciever. Transciever faults can be intermiddent and difficult to diagnose. Many times they are related to the angle of the tilt steering. PCM faults unique to the PATS system are rare. A transciever is around $50-$60. I would definitely try that before a PCM.

[Glenn-ho]

Changed the transiever last night and have the same problem.

[Glenn-ho]

How do you turn off the pats?

[Glenn-ho]

I did not try the two new keys I had cut. I was only working with the two keys I had that worked prior. I went into the pats security with a snap on solis and it shows two keys still programed although only the key we always used works sometimes and the apare key that was hadly ever used is not working at all.

[fastblackmerc]

You can it is very easy

I stand corrected.........

Thanks Dennis.

[RF Overlord]

threadjack

Does the grey valet key count as one of the 2 working keys you need when programming a new key, or do they both have to be the black ones?

/jack

[MM2004]

threadjack

Does the grey valet key count as one of the 2 working keys you need when programming a new key, or do they both have to be the black ones?

/jack

Bob,

The Valet key can be used as one of the working keys.

;)

Mike.

[RF Overlord]

Awesome...TNX, Mike!

[bugsyc]

The wife went to start the MM Saturday and it would not do anything. I go out and try myself and nothing. I get my scanner and try to pull any codes and find nothing. Then I notice that the pats light is flashing. I go get our spare key and same thing with that one. Every thing else is working. I check the battery with a load tester and it is showing 6 volts. I buy a motorcraft battery install it and the pats lights still blinks rapidly with both keys. I leave one key in while I go to get my scanner and the pats light is out when I get back. It starts right up. I try the other key and it will not work. Pats light flashes rapidly. I happen to have a couple of rotunda key blanks so I go get them cut. I come back and try to start the MM with the key that worked and the pats light is flashing again. I remove the key, lock the doors, unlock them insert the key again the pats light flashes again then goes out after about a minute and allows me to start it again. Same thing today. Key that worked lpats light flashes rapidly and then goes out after about a minute or so. I now only have one key that starts the MM some times. We all no what that means. Dealer or locksmith to program another key. I had a 1601 fault which i think is uncoded key. I think the PCM might have a problem. Anybody else have this problem? Could the bad battery have killed the pats in the PCM? Could both keys go bad? I noticed when the pats light flases rapidly the check engine light also flashes? Checked for 12 volt at the OBD2 connector and for an open at terminal 4 & 5 at the OBD2 connector since it will not allow a scanner to check for any codes now. Nobody else has had this problem? Figures!

Found the problem. A very small cut in the wire harness right next to a factory splice. Yellow wire with a black stripe. Small cut must have allowed water in and corroded it green. It was hard to find because the cut was very small. Located in the front of the left fender right where the wire harness starts to turn to go across the frame rails.
These are my exact symptoms...fast blinking PATS light,flashing check engine light,speedo jumps to 80-90,crank but no start..His weren't a PATS issue..just a bad wire...and yes I'm checking that wire...Under the bumper drivers side..I see the harness for the fog lights...Is that it???If not,How do, I find the harness of which he speaks...I refuse to give up ...So it might not be a PATS issue????