Flashing PATS Light: Gen I, Car will start but not with remote.

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kswpg

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Hi everyone,

My 2002 V8 is having a strange problem. After taking it in for an oil change the car returned with a blinking PATS light. I normally do these myself but have just moved and don't have the proper ramps and tools around.

The light pulses two quick pulses followed by a delay repeatably while the car is running but has no problems starting or driving. Its a Gen I, so I know that is not flashing a code, but does the rate of pulse give any information other than there just being a problem?

I did notice that the remote start also no longer works, however I don't know if this is the cause of the problem or a symptom of it. All other functions of the remote work fine.

Any thoughts on this? I can obviously take it back to the shop but if there's a quick fix that'd be better than having to deal with them again. They were slow enough on the oil change, I'd hate to see them try to fix something.


Thanks!

Kevin
 
Sorry no insight on your issue.

Just wondering what the advantages are of remote start in a warm climate such as Austin?
 
It can get very cold in Texas.

Im further north and we have seen a full blown ice storm and temps in the 10's.
 
Yeah of course it can. I've seen photo's of it snowing in Nogales, AZ (the border). Doesn't mean its common enough to justify the purchase and installation of a remote start system. This debate doesn't even apply to the original poster anymore as I have learned from his post in the MPG thread that he relocated from Canada. Just thought it was strange is all.
 
Lots of people have remote start around here.

I dont care for it much though.
 
trickett90 said:
Sorry no insight on your issue.

Just wondering what the advantages are of remote start in a warm climate such as Austin?
Click to expand...

I brought the car down from Canada. Its almost a necessity there. I guess I could use it to get the A/C started and cool off the car, but can't see myself ever actually doing that.

Actually, another strange issue with this car is that if I unlock the doors with the remote while physically standing too close to the car (within 6 feet), it messes the the PATS system too. The doors unlock but when go to turn the key the PATS light blinks the car doesn't start. No solenoid click, engine noise, or anything. Just silence.

The only way to start the car I've found once it does this is to start the car using remote start.

Its been doing this forever though, it seems totally separate from my current problem.
 
Oh you will if you leave the car parked outside in the summer.

Even with tint and a sunshade my car was reading 127 degrees in the inside this past summer. brutal.
 
BlackLS06 said:
Oh you will if you leave the car parked outside in the summer.

Even with tint and a sunshade my car was reading 127 degrees in the inside this past summer. brutal.
Click to expand...

The triple black we have is pretty rough with the sun. I'm tinted but no sunshade. I'm not in Texas but I def feel your pain.
 
This summer it wasn't surprising to see interior temps in the 120s. No tint on the windows either.

I have a tan interior with the upgraded woven leather seats and it really wasn't that bad. I had thought that it'd be this summer that'd push me into buying a gen II with cooled seats, but I was surprised how well they stayed cool.


So no one has any thoughts on the PATS light? Should I try a battery disconnect and hope for the best? Any way that'll make it worse?
 
kswpg said:
...
The light pulses two quick pulses followed by a delay repeatably while the car is running but has no problems starting or driving. Its a Gen I, so I know that is not flashing a code, ...
Click to expand...

Where did you hear that gen I's don't flash PATS codes? Where ever it was, they were wrong. Gen I's flash PATS codes, as do gen IIs. Yours is flashing code 22 - communications fault between modules.

We know that it is communicating with the PCM before you start the car, because if not the car would never start. Something powers up after starting that is blocking communications. Your comments about the locks are a good clue too.

Your remote start has been messed up in some way, and it is what is causing your problems. You'll have to get it fixed, its installation fixed, or remove it.
 
trickett90 said:
Just wondering what the advantages are of remote start in a warm climate such as Austin?
Click to expand...

i use my remote start just as much in the summer as i do in the winter, when its over 100* outside, the steering wheel can be hot enough to burn your hand.
 
Have you tried turning the key to the 'ACC' position for 30 seconds, then starting your car to see if the light stops flashing?
 
joegr said:
Where did you hear that gen I's don't flash PATS codes? Where ever it was, they were wrong. Gen I's flash PATS codes, as do gen IIs. Yours is flashing code 22 - communications fault between modules.

We know that it is communicating with the PCM before you start the car, because if not the car would never start. Something powers up after starting that is blocking communications. Your comments about the locks are a good clue too.

Your remote start has been messed up in some way, and it is what is causing your problems. You'll have to get it fixed, its installation fixed, or remove it.
Click to expand...


Thanks Joegr! I had read somewhere that the codes weren't flashed until the gen II PATS systems, glad I was wrong.

I'll take back the car to the shop that did the change, at least there they should look at it for free. I can't imagine what they could mess up doing an oil change though, but I'm sure they managed somehow.

or they set off the alarm, panicked and tried something stupid to cancel it..
 
kswpg said:
Thanks Joegr! I had read somewhere that the codes weren't flashed until the gen II PATS systems, glad I was wrong.

I'll take back the car to the shop that did the change, at least there they should look at it for free. I can't imagine what they could mess up doing an oil change though, but I'm sure they managed somehow.

or they set off the alarm, panicked and tried something stupid to cancel it..
Click to expand...

Is the remote start factory (I imagine this exists) or aftermarket?

I had an aftermarket one installed in 03 Crown Vic and the add-on module to activate pats would give me fits sometimes for no reason.
 
So it is a dealer add-on, not stock Ford but installed with the initial purchase of the vehicle.

I've done a little more digging, and gave up on the service center that did the initial oil change being much help. I knew only minutes into the conversation, when I had to explain repeatably that it was not an ODB I code flashing, that they weren't going to be able to do much.

Under the hood this morning I noticed that the ground wire from what I assume is the hood open alarm sensor was loose after being pulled from its connector. I just reattached it, didn't go as far as to check the resistance to ensure that it was a good connection to the frame, but it should be decent. If that's the problem, it explains the code Joegr mentioned earlier (communication error between modules).

The trouble code is still flashing after two restarts and a 60 second wait in accessory. Any thoughts as to whether this would this require a reset or to disconnect the battery?

Thanks again everyone and Happy New Year!


Kevin
 
kswpg said:
.........I had to explain repeatably that it was not an ODB I code flashing, that they weren't going to be able to do much.
Click to expand...

That's because it's an OBDII code. OBDII has been used since the mid-90's; 1996 I believe.
 
LS4me said:
That's because it's an OBDII code. OBDII has been used since the mid-90's; 1996 I believe.
Click to expand...

Actually, the "22" is a PATS lamp fault code and not OBDII. It very likely did also trigger an OBDII code, and that code is probably U1262, but it will take a dealer (or good Ford specific) scan tool to read it.
 
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