PATS keys issue? - No crank, no click, blinking fast

[Burnout]

Hey folks,

Have an annoying issue. My 04 has had ongoing issues starting where it needs a jump to get going after sitting for any real length of time, but it hasn't been serious enough for me to worry about yet. Yesterday though was about the same - I'd try to start it and it wouldn't crank. If I let the key sit in the on (but not starting) position for a moment before cranking, it would sound like it was trying to but it just wouldn't turn over.

I did it a few times before trying to jump it, but after trying now it won't even click. I figured it might have been the starter, but when I turn the key to the on position I see the security light flashing quickly. Quick googling shows that as a PATS issue. It does this for all 3 of my keys.

I'm wondering if me trying to crank it unsuccessfully multiple times yesterday put it in some programming mode that ended up clearing my keys, though that'd be annoying if it was able to be configured to just wipe out all the keys.

Any ideas? I'll get my local locksmith to come down and reprogram if I need to, but I don't want to have to pay for that if it ends up being something else.

Thanks!

 

[Number Twelve]

yes, the PATS system has a suicide mode.
I don't remember what triggers it, but it will erase all key codes if you do something something.

 

[Number Twelve]

This Thread, post #197
https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234975&page=10

 

[Burnout]

Dang, thanks for finding that post Number Twelve. Looks like that may be what happened to me. Well that's frustrating. Looks like a call to my locksmith, or getting Forscan and their add-on or whatever to work with PATS, is in my future.

 

[Burnout]

Well I'm a happy camper! Got Forscan, registered the extended license, and after messing around with it a bit managed to to reprogram the PATS!

Two of my 3 keys are Chinese knock-offs, and the typical reports that they'll work as additional keys but struggle to work as the initial 2 keys definitely proved true. Even trying to use a PATS key from my old Explorer and holding it up to trick the system into thinking an OEM key was there didn't do it.

Strangely, after struggling for a while and being a step away from ordering an OEM key, I tried one more time, it didn't work, so I shut my laptop on the screen saying that the key registered correctly but the number of programmed keys didn't increment (the standard error people report). I went inside to try to break off the chip from an older key in a Hail Mary attempt, but when I came back the number of keys was showing as 2. Maybe I just needed to be patient or something, but it roared right to life!

Odd thing though is now I'm getting P2104 (Throttle Actuator Control System - Forced Idle) and P2112 (Throttle Actuator Control System - Stuck Closed), which I never got before. Wonder if me spending too long letting it try to turn over before I broke the PATS did something. I'll probably look into it later, but for now at least it works again!