cranks but no start

[Texas97x]

I bought a 99 Mounty the other day that does not run. V8 AWD and the theft light blinks when try to start it. Cranks but no start. Check some parts with a known running V8, coil packs are good, all fuses are good, fuel pump relay is good and the inertia switch is not tripped. The blue transceiver by the key cylinder was hanging loose so I put that back in place making sure the contacts line up but still no start. Don’t want to have to take it to the dealership and I have searched the forum trying to see if there is a way for me to reset the theft system and start fresh. When I put the key in the theft light flashes slow as it should but as soon as I turn the key it starts flashing fast. Help!!

 

[J_C]

Your PATS anti-theft isn't working. What exactly do you mean by "the blue transceiver by the key cylinder was hanging loose so I put it back in place"?

Do you mean hanging loose was the state you found it in, or that you have begun taking the steering column apart and saw it then?

If the transceiver is broken then I'd hunt one down, either a junkyard or eBay. Are you 100% certain that you have the right keys for the vehicle? I would suppose so if it turns the lock cylinder but am asking if maybe someone made just a key copy cheap that they could use to unlock doors, but doesn't have the big black plastic end with the chip in it?

AFAIK the transceiver in the column looks a bit like this:

 

[97-5.0]

Can he use the factory door code?, from inside driver rear quarter, the sticker on the controll box.....or that only on a 97?

 

[koda2000]

Can he use the factory door code?, from inside driver rear quarter, the sticker on the controll box.....or that only on a 97?

What good is the door code going to do him if the engine wont start?

OP - If you don't feel like messing around with your PATS problem, there's a guy here who'd recently had sent his PCM off to someone to have PATS deactivated. It cost him a lot less than it would have cost him to to ferry his truck to a dealership to have it fixed (he keeps his Explorer on an island). That would probably be the way I'd go if I couldn't figure it out. His forum name is LarryMax and I think it cost him $60. Maybe he'll give you the guy's name if you PM him.

 

[Texas97x]

There is a small blue piece that inserts into the left hand side of the piece in the photo. It has a small metal contact that the Key cylinder makes contact with when it is inserted (the whole cylinder not the key itself). This was hanging loose and I assume the previous owner either did not see this or he may have pulled it loose. The keys are both the factory Mercury keys and they are the ones for the vehicle. My thoughts are the previous owner has set off the PATS system and the only thing I could find was the small blue piece that was not connected but now is. I just don't know if once the PATS system is tripped if it has to be reset or if there is still something else that is causing the theft light to flash quickly when I try to start it.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Something is causing it to not pick up your keys.

 

[koda2000]

No reset.

 

[imp]

If the PATS indicator light flashes slowly when key is inserted, then flashes quickly, like 4 or 5 times a second, PATS is surely preventing cranking. imp

 

[1998Exp]

There is a small blue piece that inserts into the left hand side of the piece in the photo. It has a small metal contact that the Key cylinder makes contact with when it is inserted (the whole cylinder not the key itself). This was hanging loose and I assume the previous owner either did not see this or he may have pulled it loose. The keys are both the factory Mercury keys and they are the ones for the vehicle. My thoughts are the previous owner has set off the PATS system and the only thing I could find was the small blue piece that was not connected but now is. I just don't know if once the PATS system is tripped if it has to be reset or if there is still something else that is causing the theft light to flash quickly when I try to start it.

Sounds like what you are describing is the "ding dong" (for lack of a better word) sensor, in other words, the key presence sensor that activates the "ding dong" sound when the key is in the ignition and the door is open. To the best of my knowledge, it's not related to PATS, which, as others already mentioned is your first problem with this vehicle -- and hopefully the last.

 

[Texas97x]

Bit of an update. When put key in and turn to start no CEL and after letting it sit for 2-3 minutes with the theft light blinking fast it will stop and then flash a 1 6 code??

 

[J_C]

A 1:6 code indicates a communication failure between PATS and the EEC-V module, but I'd want to hook up a code scanner capable of pulling PATS and get the four digit code. Some of those codes start with a "16" but I don't know if that means anything.

I'm suspect of the electrical connection between the PATs module and the transceiver because of the strange situation with the blue module you reported.

A side thought, considering your location, and the timing, is whether there is any chance this is a flood damaged vehicle or possibly more than one vehicle cobbled together? If so then some electrical gremlins that are uncommon, could be more common. Was the prior owner in a flood area?

 

[Texas97x]

No it is not a flood vehicle.

 

[Texas97x]

UPDATE There is away to reset PATS when your theft light is blinking. Assuming you have fixed whatever the issue was this should work, it did for me. Withvehicle locked and standing outside press and hold panic button on key fob for 2 seconds. Unlock door with key get in and put key in ignition and turn to on position. Horn should stop and the theft light should be out.

 

[Texas97x]

UPDATE There is away to reset PATS when your theft light is blinking. Assuming you have fixed whatever the issue was this should work, it did for me. Withvehicle locked and standing outside press and hold panic button on key fob for 2 seconds. Unlock door with key get in and put key in ignition and turn to on position. Horn should stop and the theft light should be out.

 

[J_C]

Hmm, seems like they made that more complicated than it needed to be. I mean they could have set it up skipping the panic button step (since it's non-obvious if the horn wasn't already going off) and just using the key. Glad you got it working.