PATS, what be going on?!

[dutch]

I got this car with 1 PATS key and 1 non-PATS key. The previous owner always used the non-PATS key and so do I. I tried the fatter PATS key once and it wouldn?t start, blinking the THEFT light.

Never had trouble until yesterday when I wanted to leave work and the THEFT light was blinking rapidly. The car would start, jump to it?s normal 2000rpm and die right away. Tried 3 or 4 times and decided to I would try to unhook the negative battery cable. Before I did remove it, I tried again and it started again without a fuss.

What?s going on with this PATS system? I think it?s just an electrical gremlin or small malfunction in the steering column what happened yesterday. Since I can only use my non PATS key, does that mean someone disabled the PATS system in some time in the cars life? If so, why did it go nuts yesterday?

 

[19mustang95]

Sounds like the PATS key you have to the car, doesn't match the PATS signal from the PCM. But, since can use a non-PATS key to start the car, the PATS system should be turned off. Sounds like a conundrum to me.

 

[dutch]

Which ways are there to turn of the PATS? Because it's a jap export car and I doubt someone ever put a SCT handheld or something on the car..