LONG story short I got the 99 ranger back from the trans shop {on a flatbed} and was told they might have shorted my ecm because it runs like crap now with a horrible miss and it still wont shift right. After waiting 3 months for this rebuild to get done right I just had it brought home.

Sooo...I drove 80miles round trip to the only junkyard that had the correct ecm for the truck.After installing it the truck wouldnt even start. So I drive back another 80 miles and exchange it for another.Install and still no start.Put original ecm back in and it fires right up. Does the PATS have something to do with this??

Any ideas?

 

When I replaced the computer in my Lincoln LS I needed to tow it to the dealership so that they could flash the computer to the car. I was told it was a theft thing. I think it cost about $100 to have it done. after that it worked just like it should.

hope this helps good luck.

 

yeah pats is the problem you new ecm dont have the right pats codes your old one has in it... is your theft light on when you try to start it?? the only way i know to fix it is take a trip to the ford dealership

 

To save on a tow to the dealership go back to the junkyard and get the key, ignition cyclinder, and pats module. They should give it to you cheap since no one every needs to buy a pats module by itself. Switch out those and you should fire right up. Then you can take that to the dealer with the old keys and ignition cylinder and have them program the truck for your old keys.

 

Thats a good idea but the only yard I found that had my ecm was 50 miles away.By time I waist my time and gas on a 100 mile round trip back to get those parts it would be cheaper to just trailer it to my local dealer.

 

Swapping ECU in a 4 cyl is a direct swap because Ford never put Pats on a 4 cyl ranger (at least the ones from 1998-00). The ECU and PATS modules are actually "paired" so they both have to be from the same vehicle to work. But yeah Ford can pair the different modules. Man I wished I had their computers.

 

basically, what they've all said is pretty much right. you need to come into the dealership where i have a nifty little computer that i can hook up to your ECM and make it read your system. its a re-flash and its gonna be like a 100 bones.

 

Its funny you guys should bump this today because I just got home from dropping it off at my local dealer.

Dealer is charging 85.00 to re-flash my new ecm.However they can only do it if you have two keys for the truck and since I have only ever had one key for this truck I was forced to buy a 2nd ket at 155.00. He tried to explain why Ford makes them do it this way for security reasons but his explanation made no sence to me or my boy.

 

The computer stays in a high security mode until two keys are used. The reason they do this is so that someone doesn't "borrow" your keys and try to make a key for your car. They would have to borrow both sets to program their key, which is less likely to happen. Also its to keep someone from reflashing your computer, but if you get a key why the hell would you need to re-flash it to drive it? But of course this is just BS to me, for Ford to get some money outta ya.

I'm sure Ford could have reflashed without the second key, but its probably not their SOP.

 

Just got home with the truck. Dealer cut us a break and only charged us for the new key. 162.00 out the door.

Good news is the motor runs fine now.Bad news is the trans is junk. Slips to 4k under any kind of throttle and OD light is flashing.