PATS Key Bypass and remote start install without bypass module.

[h82loseejr]

I am not going to go into detain on remote start install. There are plenty of articles covering that. What I am going to cover is how to bypass PATS or chipped key to install remote starter without purchasing a bypass module . I live in a rural area that I am not worried about bypassing the chip in the key. If you do this then the vehicle can be started with a key that does not have a chip in it.

We only had 1 key with our explorer so adding another key for a bypass module would involve a trip to the dealership. So instead of paying the dealer and then purchasing an expensive bypass module for a system that we really did not need I decided to bypass it myself.

All I did was take our 1 working key to Walmart and had 2 keys cut. Took some convincing of the clerk who told me that because that key had a chip in it if I tried to start my vehicle with it it will fry my computer and she knows this. After reassuring her that I know what I want and am well aware of the risk she cut my keys for me.

I took the covers off of steering column and I removed the transponder receiver. It is located around the ignition. It has one screw (5.5 mm) that is located on bottom of the module. I used a pry bar I got it on top of the cable tray and got it to pull down. (do not pry on the module you will break it and then your vehicle will not start at all. Once the tray comes down you can access the bolt for transponder.

I took the original chipped key and moved it around on the receiver to find the proper spot that the car would start with the Walmart key. Getting the key close to it was not enough. It took some time to find the sweet spot. I then took electrical tape and held it in that exact spot....I re routed the wires to under the steering column to get it out of the way of the shifter linkage. DO NOT DAMAGE THE RECEIVER OR YOUR CAR WILL NOT START

 

[imp]

.....I took the original chipped key and moved it around on the receiver to find the proper spot that the car would start with the Walmart key. Getting the key close to it was not enough. It took some time to find the sweet spot. I then took electrical tape and held it in that exact spot....I re routed the wires to under the steering column to get it out of the way of the shifter linkage. DO NOT DAMAGE THE RECEIVER OR YOUR CAR WILL NOT START

@h82loseejr
One guy claimed to have removed the chip from his key, then epoxied it to the transponder. Being in the same boat you were, my question is this: were the keys you had cut chip or non-chip keys? Concern is for transponder detecting 2 different chips at the same time. My '94 Mustang key fits the cylinder in my '04 Explorer, and tyhat will be the type key (non-chip) I will go with.

Have you experienced any problems? imp

 

[h82loseejr]

new keys are non chip keys. I actually removed the receiver from the ignition and fished wire out of the cable tray as to not detect another key

 

[TechGuru]

Bad idea IMHO.

and no you don't need a trip to the dealership to add a PATS RS module, just a laptop with free ForScan and a $30 USB OBDII device.

 

[h82loseejr]

What is so bad about the idea? Iv done this on at least 3 vehicles one of them over 2 years ago with no issues on any of them

 

[TechGuru]

What is so bad about the idea? Iv done this on at least 3 vehicles one of them over 2 years ago with no issues on any of them

Because your vehicle can very easily be gone in sixty seconds...

 

[imp]

Because your vehicle can very easily be gone in sixty seconds...

@TechGuru
True enough, but don't they need to break into the vehicle first, break the tumblers to rotate the ignition switch, find PATS stops them, then slash the hell out of the interior, or worse. Real thieves pick the car up and haul it away. Be glad you are not in El Paso! imp

 

[h82loseejr]

and the whole idea is to not have to buy a bypass module on top of the remote start. These vehicles are old enough no one is going to steal them and especially where I am at **** I dont even take my keys out of my car most of the time.

 

[h82loseejr]

Because your vehicle can very easily be gone in sixty seconds...

If someone wants your vehicle they are going to take it chip in key or not.

@TechGuru
True enough, but don't they need to break into the vehicle first, break the tumblers to rotate the ignition switch, find PATS stops them, then slash the hell out of the interior, or worse. Real thieves pick the car up and haul it away. Be glad you are not in El Paso! imp

My point exactly

 

[h82loseejr]

Actually I just thought about this. any bypass module has a key inside of it. bingo find bypass and you have the key to steal vehicle. Moreso think about what a bypass module does? It bypasses PATS. So even if you buy any bypass module and install it all said thief would need to defeat is the ignition anyway becasue PATS is already bypassed MR TECH GURU

 

[TechGuru]

Actually I just thought about this. any bypass module has a key inside of it. bingo find bypass and you have the key to steal vehicle. Moreso think about what a bypass module does? It bypasses PATS. So even if you buy any bypass module and install it all said thief would need to defeat is the ignition anyway becasue PATS is already bypassed MR TECH GURU

This is incorrect information. The DEI (Directed) PATS module is not a bypass module, it is a key emulator and will not emulate a key without the DEI alarm system receiving a start command from the authorized remote. So while it does add a additional way in for thieves (cloning a remote instead of just cloning your PATS key's transponder number (which they would have to get a hold of to get)) it does not enable them to bypass PATS, that's the whole point of it.

Also be aware, that if this rigged bypass is done and your vehicle gets stolen you've given your insurance company a way out to not have to pay for your loss. Most take having PATS into consideration when determining your rate (for comprehensive).

 

[h82loseejr]

Ok so you are talking about one certain brand of bypass module which works a certain way. Id have to pull the wiring diagram but im sure that all it needs is voltage or ground applied to one terminal to work. Id say most people do not install an alarm with a remote starter anyway so again im failing to see your point on the motivation of a thief to steal a 13-20 year old ford explorer.

 

[h82loseejr]

Directed makes some of the best equipment in my opinion. But the point here is to install a remote start without purchasing extra bypass moudle and having to get at least one more key made and programed when you only have one key for the vehicle. All of your points are valid but do not apply to this situation. You should read through my original post again.

 

[h82loseejr]

@h82loseejr
One guy claimed to have removed the chip from his key, then epoxied it to the transponder. Being in the same boat you were, my question is this: were the keys you had cut chip or non-chip keys? Concern is for transponder detecting 2 different chips at the same time. My '94 Mustang key fits the cylinder in my '04 Explorer, and tyhat will be the type key (non-chip) I will go with.

Have you experienced any problems? imp

The new keys cannot have any chips in them you are correct. I actually removed the chip receiver from the ignition and re routed wires so it is actually under the dash now to avoid this exact thing from happening.

 

[imp]

The new keys cannot have any chips in them you are correct. I actually removed the chip receiver from the ignition and re routed wires so it is actually under the dash now to avoid this exact thing from happening.

@h82loseejr
I suspected that. Now, by "chip receiver" do you mean the black plastic ring-shaped Transceiver, as Ford calls it, that surrounds the lock cylinder? This scheme I will try, and BTW, if the Transceiver is moved remotely from the ignition lock cylinder, and a good, chipped, working key is fastened to it. would not even chipped keys not recognized by the Transceiver, work so long as they are cut to turn the cylinder? imp

 

[h82loseejr]

Yep that is right. Now to remove and relocate it there is a wire tray under the steering column. The wires for the receiver run in. You have to get that wire tray to come loose to get the receiver removed. There is one single screw 5.5MM that goes straight up from bottom of the receiver. Then I did break a couple clips opening up the tray to get the wires fished out to run them down the column back towards the firewall to get the receiver under the dash and away from the ignition.

It takes a little bit to find the sweet spot for the receiver to pick the key signal up. where the metal and plastic meet it needs to be close to the center of the ring.

The Receiver needs to be relocated because of how close the key must be to the receiver.

 

[watson.fawkes]

One guy claimed to have removed the chip from his key

It's not hard. Look down on the top of the key, with the grooves and cuts on the far side. You'll see a little rectangular junction between two pieces of plastic. The outer one is the top of the key. The inner one is a little carrier for a glass ampoule that contains an RFID chip. You can pry the carrier out with a tiny screwdriver or with the tip of a knife. I took a photo, but the site doesn't allow me to upload.

The ampoule is 23 mm long. The original ones were made by Texas Instruments. The current generation of these from TI is part number TRPGR30ATGA. I don't know if they're compatible. Here's the data sheet.

http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/trpgr30atga.pdf​

If anybody's curious enough, you can buy the transponder ampoules individually from electronics distributors. Mouser has them for $5.46 in quantity 1 (today's price before S&H). If they are compatible, then it should be possible to program the ampoule separately with a non-transponder key. There are keychain carriers for such ampoules. The SpeedPass system uses such ampoules (different innards) and comes in a little plastic fob.