i was working tuesday, i deliver pizza so i start my car up alot...and it was starting fine all night, than i got off and went outside and it wouldnt start. it would crank but no start. when i would try and start it the theft light would blink rapidly. anyone got any clue what this is and how to fix it?

Do you have a second set of keys? You should try them to see if it works.

doesnt work...still just cranks and theft light is flashing, anyone know if its something to do with the theft system? or could it be something like the fuel pump?

can you hear the fuel pump whine when you turn the key to "on"?

Maybe your fuel safety shutoff was activated?

Is the CEL illuminated?

Not sure but I'm wondering if his PATS key is malfunctioning. You figure his Theft light is flashing so it could point to a number of things.

wwhats the cel?

Check Engine Light

It is your anti-theft system problem. It acts that way when it does not get the right computer code from the keys. Do you have anything henging on your key ring that would interfere witht he computer signal? Or anyting hanging near the ignition hole? If none of your keys work, you will have to get ford to reset your computer.
Good luck

i have a keychain on it, but why would it just not work all of a sudden? every other time it worked

Doubt that is your problem.

how many different keys have you tried in there?

i hear the fuel pump whine...i tried 2 keys

If the theft light is flashing rapidly, i am almost 100% sure it is the comptuer that senses your keys thats got aproblem. Call ford or get the truck to a ford dealer and they should be able to reprogram it. Thats the only way I see to get it fixed.

How does the pat key works and can a magnet cause it to lose its program.

guess im gonna have to get a towtruck to bring it to ford

try resetting the electrical system once. I have a 99 and if your switch is in the same spot as mine it should be on the bottom of the drivers side plasitc paneling right infront and above your brake. I had a problem with my security system not recognizing a new keyless entry and when you flick the switch it resets your electrical system. If you dont feel comfortable with that because you might f something up just go to ford, just an idea though.

cant find any switch

I don;t think it comes from the factory with that "switch". You may have a dealer installed system, as one of the dealers we looked at had a passive anti-theft device on all it's new cars/trucks and it was mounted right where you describe.

If you want to try resetting your electrical system 95XLT, just unplug the battery for 15 minutes and then reconnect it and try to fire her up.
Thats the only other thing i can think of.
Good luck

i disconnected the battery and left it off 15 minutes, when reconnected it it did the same thing, crank w/ no start

does the theft light flash rapidly when you try to start it?

yea

sounds like a locksmith or ford dealer will be able to fix it...not sure if this is a driveway project

I Have the same problem, do you fixed the problem?

Have you pulled the engine codes? I know you disconnected the battery that would have erased them, but trying to start it again should throw the code again. If you can hear the fuel pump run, then most likely your problem is spark related.

In my dash my ECT light doesn't lite, and i can't hear the fuel pump working, and in my dash the THEFT light it's blinking, could be the problem with the chip in my key?

So the engine just turns over (cranks) but doesn't start? First thing i'd try is swap the fuel pump relay with another on and see if your fuel pump starts. If it were the theft system, you should still hear the fuel pump. That does not get cut off I don't believe. Does the theft light blink rapidly? Are you using a different key, one that may not be programmed?

I know exactly what this is like. I went over to a friends place to do some work on the X, and came back out 5 min. later out of his house to pull into the garage and it wouldn't start. I did disconnect the battery once for a while and was able to get it to start, but after that my friend turned it off and wouldn't start again. I checked fuel pressures, tried jumping it, did a million things and nothing. The theft flashed rapidly and everything. What the problem was for me, and possibly for you, is the your PCM is could be shot. What happened was the PCM went shut down and wasn't sending signals between that and the security, so the theft system would go into default mode. I hade it towed in, and they searched everything and that's what they came up with. The good part of the story is that my PCM ('98 Sport) was still covered under the emissions warranty since the PCM controls the emissions system. All the work and all the diagnostics were free. The only thing I had to pay for was a second key (since I didn't have one, and they need two keys to program it) and I also got a bought a key fob and had it programmed.

Well yes, the engine cranks, the theft light blinks a little fast, how can i check if my PCM it's gone?, i bought this truck in a auction with a crash in the front,(yes, i resset the cutt off), (the crash was a year ago), and they gave me just one key, with the control, and the key open the truck and turns the switch so i think it's the right key, the thing it's that i don't know if it's programmed, i have the truck in Guatemala, and i asked to the dealer and they will charge like $450.00 to program the system again, i want to try all before take the car to them, thanks for your help.

There is a thread on here about how to program the key.

Well yes, the engine cranks, the theft light blinks a little fast, how can i check if my PCM it's gone?, i bought this truck in a auction with a crash in the front,(yes, i resset the cutt off), (the crash was a year ago), and they gave me just one key, with the control, and the key open the truck and turns the switch so i think it's the right key, the thing it's that i don't know if it's programmed, i have the truck in Guatemala, and i asked to the dealer and they will charge like $450.00 to program the system again, i want to try all before take the car to them, thanks for your help.

This is jacking the original thread, but sounds like yours doesn't have a chip in it or needs to be re-programmed. Need to have 2 keys to do that. You can make copies of keys, but without the chip they won't start it up.

My other post was actually intended for the original thread starter.

Fellows, thanks to everyone, the truck started last night, because of the crash, there was 2 grounds loose, i think one of those grounds are for PCM relay, after i fixed that, the truck started like new, again, thanks to everyone.