Immobilizer issue

[Vpross]

My 2011 TC will not crank. This first began in a customer’s driveway and had to tow it home.  It wasn’t recognizing my key and I don’t have a spare.  Called out a mobile locksmith, said I needed a new ecu. Ordered a vin-matched and rebuilt one online. Locksmith came back out said to get a  new immobilizer ring. Got one from the dealer, installed it, still nothing.  Had a different locksmith come out.  He reset everything, programmed 2 keys to it and still nothing.  Immobilizer dash light still flashes. Please help 

[lowspeedpursuit]

I've never worked with PATS, but did the second guy confirm the IC has the correct ID for the new PCM?

 

The troubleshooting flowchart for PATS stuck on is really short: check for codes and follow up on them, reset everything, and then replace the instrument cluster.

 

[Vpross]

Instrument cluster?  Does that have to be programmed as well? How?

[lowspeedpursuit]

From the 2010 shop manual:

 

NOTE: If the IC or the PCM is being replaced (or both), the parameters must be reset in both modules or the vehicle experiences a PATS no-start ... Refer to Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) Parameter Reset in this section.

 

When the parameters in the IC are reset, it clears (erases) the PCM ID from the IC. A PCM parameter reset causes the PCM to send a PCM ID to the IC that is necessary for the system to operate ... If only a PCM parameter reset occurs, the ID stored in the IC does not match the ID being sent by the PCM, and may cause a PATS-related no-start.

 

 

Since a new PCM will have a new ID, and you need to reset both PCM (to send the ID) and IC (to accept it), and resetting the IC deletes all stored keys and requires you add them again, I would assume that when tech #2 "reset everything and programmed 2 keys", he did all of that, but it wouldn't hurt to double-check.

 

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EDIT: I had another thought after I typed this out: in your original post, you said you only had one key. Also from the manual: There must be at least 2 keys programmed into the IC in this type of PATS before the vehicle starts.

 

When I got my van, I also only had one key. Because it was more than 10 years old, Ford (dealer and corporate) was catastrophically unhelpful on how to get new Tibbe keys cut, whether any SKC / Security Code / programming key exists, or how to acquire it. When I hired a mobile locksmith to make me another key, he cloned my existing key's immobilizer chip, rather than programming another. My understanding is that as a result, my two keys only count as one "unique" key for PATS purposes.

 

If your locksmith was similarly only capable of cloning, it's possible that when he reset everything, you only ended up with one "unique" key in the system, which won't start because it insists on having two "unique" keys programmed.

 

Ultimately, I would ask the 2nd tech if he parameter reset both the PCM and IC, and if he was able to program two "unique" keys into the system.

If he did everything right and you have no codes or wiring issues, etc., I would look into replacing the instrument cluster.

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by lowspeedpursuit
new idea

[o2bad455]

2011 Ford Transit Connect (FTC) with possible Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) no-start after battery drained and some rain got in.  If two unique keys are needed to reprogram but we only have one, should we completely avoid resetting the Instrument Cluster (IC) or the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), or is there some way to back-up the lost 2nd key info from the IC or PCM to re-write it when resetting both the IC and PCM with the remaining 1st key?

Edited July 11 by o2bad455

[lowspeedpursuit]

I've never had PATS issues with my van, so I'm actually not sure; I'm just an active user with the 1st-gen shop manuals.

 

My first inclination would be to play around in Forscan, search their forums, reach out to support, and see if they might have a solution.

 

After that I would call a Dealer, with the expectation they probably can't help, and would charge a ton if they could.

 

Last option is a mobile locksmith with an actual chip programmer.

 

If you can, please post back with how things work out, for reference.

[Fifty150]

On 6/27/2023 at 7:13 AM, lowspeedpursuit said:

my two keys only count as one "unique" key for PATS purposes

 

 

That is correct.  You only have one key, as the spare key is a clone of the first key.  

 

 

7 hours ago, o2bad455 said:

possible Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) no-start after battery drained and some rain got in

 

 

Possible?  You need to do some diagnoses.  Find out exactly why your car isn't starting.  

 

 

7 hours ago, o2bad455 said:

If two unique keys are needed to reprogram but we only have one

 

There are different scenarios.  What if you lost one key?  What if you lost both keys?

 

A good tech, with the proper diagnostic tool interface, will be able to solve your problems.  Or you can attempt to write the keys into PATS with Forscan.

 

What can be done is to erase the key which is lost.

 

What can be done is to write a new key.

 

What can be done is to erase all of the keys, and then write new keys.  

 

 

 

 

Okay, so you lost a key.  No big deal.  Delete that key from PATS.  Get a spare key made.  Program the new key in. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, o2bad455 said:

If two unique keys are needed to reprogram but we only have one