You mentioned it was a Fleet vehicle, didn't try to hard to find 2007 Fleet

But did find the 2019 Ranger Fleet vehicle: https://www.fleet.ford.com/resources...019_Ranger.pdf

 

i bought a 2007 ranger, through fleet. it is not a 'fleet' vehicle. i wanted a vehicle that no one else had touched or test drove, and the fleet department was the way to go for that. they did a special order for me, to michigan. --special, being the options i wanted. its more or less just another new ranger off the lot at that time, bought through the fleet sales person. thank you for the 2019 information, but i will stick with my 2007.

 

Hi guys, I'm Steve from Drag Radial Performance. The owner of the Ranger sent me a link to the thread, and I thought I would throw my 2 cents in here and at least clarify where I can about how PATS deletes should work.

So as you guys know, there is a PATS module somewhere, and it is hard wired to the transceiver ring. The ring gets the code from the PATS key and sends it to the PATS module. The PATS module in older vehicles (96-98 era mainly) was a completely separate module. In vehicles newer than about that era, they started putting the PATS module inside the instrument cluster. Here's why.

The cluster used to be a bunch of gauges wired to a bunch of sensors. In more modern vehicles, the engine computer is already measuring a bunch of sensors, so it made sense that instead of having multiple sensors to read the same data, they would just have one sensor and then share that data with multiple modules. A good example of this might be the vehicle speed. The ABS, instrument cluster, and PCM all need to know what the vehicle speed is, each for their own reasons. So one of these modules actually measures the vehicle speed, and then shares that value with the other 2 modules over the SCP or CAN network. A network is like an email system. Each module emails the other module, requesting a piece of data. The other module emails the data back to the requesting module.

So somewhere around 1999 you started to see the old school instrument cluster become an Instrument Cluster Module (ICM). Ford sometimes calls this a Hybrid Electronic Cluster (HEC). Whatever they call it, the cluster is no longer measuring gauge data directly. Instead, most of it's gauges are getting their data from the engine computer (PCM). You can generally tell if you have a cluster module vs a cluster by looking at the odometer. If the odometer is digital and not analog, chances are it's a cluster module. That odometer will read - - - - - - if the cluster cannot talk to the PCM over the network.

Since the cluster is already a module talking to the PCM, and the cluster is within close proximity to the ignition switch, it made sense to not build a separate PATS module, and instead just stick a PATS chip inside the existing instrument cluster. My guess is that's why they call it a Hybrid Electronic Cluster, although that's just my speculation. But why have a separate PATS module when the cluster is right there, and already talking to the PCM? So they built PATS in the cluster on many vehicles, such as the 99-04 Mustang GT.

The PATS system disables the car from starting by turning off the fuel injectors. On some models, it also interrupts the starter relay from working. Ultimately, the PCM is in charge of firing the injectors, but on some Rangers, the PATS module acts as the ground for the starter relay. To override that, the starter relay control wire going from the PATS module to the starter relay may have to be cut and grounded, eliminating the PATS module from being required in order to activate the starter.

When we delete PATS, we are throwing a master switch in the PCM calibration that tells the PCM whether or not this vehicle is equipped with PATS. When we shut that switch off, the PCM thinks there is no PATS module, and therefore does not ask for it's permission to start the vehicle. This makes the PCM happy, but the PATS module mad. The PATS module (or cluster) does not get reprogrammed in any way. The PATS module will try to communicate with the PCM, but the PCM will not respond back because it believes PATS does not exist. Therefore, the PATS module may throw PATS codes, rapidly blink the theft light, etc. Meanwhile, the truck starts just fine.

That's the good news. The bad news is that it's heavily rumored that some Rangers cannot delete PATS. And I have found this to sometimes be true. This is one of those cases, I believe. It's not all Rangers though, just some. I don't know the underlying cause of why when we shut off the PATS system it does not work, but I suspect it might be flaws in the tuning software. The guys at the tuning companies may have missed something when they reverse engineered a particular Ranger PCM. There may also be a situation where there are two PATS disable switches in the software, and depending on how they were factory set, we may not be able to delete PATS. I haven't run into that scenario yet, but have been warned it's possible.

 

Hi guys, I'm Steve from Drag Radial Performance. The owner of the Ranger sent me a link to the thread, and I thought I would throw my 2 cents in here and at least clarify where I can about how PATS deletes should work.

So as you guys know, there is a PATS module somewhere, and it is hard wired to the transceiver ring. The ring gets the code from the PATS key and sends it to the PATS module. The PATS module in older vehicles (96-98 era mainly) was a completely separate module. In vehicles newer than about that era, they started putting the PATS module inside the instrument cluster. Here's why.

The cluster used to be a bunch of gauges wired to a bunch of sensors. In more modern vehicles, the engine computer is already measuring a bunch of sensors, so it made sense that instead of having multiple sensors to read the same data, they would just have one sensor and then share that data with multiple modules. A good example of this might be the vehicle speed. The ABS, instrument cluster, and PCM all need to know what the vehicle speed is, each for their own reasons. So one of these modules actually measures the vehicle speed, and then shares that value with the other 2 modules over the SCP or CAN network. A network is like an email system. Each module emails the other module, requesting a piece of data. The other module emails the data back to the requesting module.

So somewhere around 1999 you started to see the old school instrument cluster become an Instrument Cluster Module (ICM). Ford sometimes calls this a Hybrid Electronic Cluster (HEC). Whatever they call it, the cluster is no longer measuring gauge data directly. Instead, most of it's gauges are getting their data from the engine computer (PCM). You can generally tell if you have a cluster module vs a cluster by looking at the odometer. If the odometer is digital and not analog, chances are it's a cluster module. That odometer will read - - - - - - if the cluster cannot talk to the PCM over the network.

Since the cluster is already a module talking to the PCM, and the cluster is within close proximity to the ignition switch, it made sense to not build a separate PATS module, and instead just stick a PATS chip inside the existing instrument cluster. My guess is that's why they call it a Hybrid Electronic Cluster, although that's just my speculation. But why have a separate PATS module when the cluster is right there, and already talking to the PCM? So they built PATS in the cluster on many vehicles, such as the 99-04 Mustang GT.

The PATS system disables the car from starting by turning off the fuel injectors. On some models, it also interrupts the starter relay from working. Ultimately, the PCM is in charge of firing the injectors, but on some Rangers, the PATS module acts as the ground for the starter relay. To override that, the starter relay control wire going from the PATS module to the starter relay may have to be cut and grounded, eliminating the PATS module from being required in order to activate the starter.

When we delete PATS, we are throwing a master switch in the PCM calibration that tells the PCM whether or not this vehicle is equipped with PATS. When we shut that switch off, the PCM thinks there is no PATS module, and therefore does not ask for it's permission to start the vehicle. This makes the PCM happy, but the PATS module mad. The PATS module (or cluster) does not get reprogrammed in any way. The PATS module will try to communicate with the PCM, but the PCM will not respond back because it believes PATS does not exist. Therefore, the PATS module may throw PATS codes, rapidly blink the theft light, etc. Meanwhile, the truck starts just fine.

That's the good news. The bad news is that it's heavily rumored that some Rangers cannot delete PATS. And I have found this to sometimes be true. This is one of those cases, I believe. It's not all Rangers though, just some. I don't know the underlying cause of why when we shut off the PATS system it does not work, but I suspect it might be flaws in the tuning software. The guys at the tuning companies may have missed something when they reverse engineered a particular Ranger PCM. There may also be a situation where there are two PATS disable switches in the software, and depending on how they were factory set, we may not be able to delete PATS. I haven't run into that scenario yet, but have been warned it's possible.

 

Hey guys, it's Steve from Drag Radial Performance. I just ran across this by chance, and I may be able to shed some light on this subject.

First, to try and resolve the issue. If you have a no-start, that's different than a no-crank. You see, on all Fords, a PATS issue will result in a rapidly blinking theft light and no injector pulse. The engine will still have spark and do everything else normally, but PATS issues will cause the PATS module to tell the PCM "Don't start". The PCM will react by shutting off the fuel injectors, but doing everything else normally. Sometimes this results in a start/run/stall, but the only reason it starts at all is because the engine is burning whatever fumes are left in the combustion chamber from the last time it ran. No new fuel is being injected. Therefore, after a few attempted starts, it won't even try to run. But the first time or two, it might actually pop off and run for a second.

Now, on SOME Fords, the PATS system also disables the starter. On these vehicles, you not only have a no-start, but you also have a no-crank. This 2007 Ranger in question has Starter Disable. You can find out if a vehicle has a PATS system that can disable the starter by going to the Motorcraft Service website, looking at their free resources section, and viewing the PATS Job Aid. Here's a link:

https://www.motorcraftservice.com/pdf/pats_job_aid.pdf

When we disable PATS, we are only doing so in the PCM, not in the cluster. There was a little misinformation in this thread about that, and I want to clear that up. You see, the PCM is ultimately in charge of running the fuel injectors, and if we tell the PCM that this vehicle did not come equipped with PATS, then the PCM will no longer require permission from the PATS module in order to enable the fuel injectors. So no, our tuning products do not affect the cluster in any way. The PATS module used to be standalone, but eventually they integrated that chip into the cluster about the same time as traditional clusters became Hybrid Electronic Clusters (HEC). In other words, now that the clusters are basically modules, they just built the PATS chip into the existing HEC module. It makes sense, as the HEC already gets a power and a ground and communicates with the PCM over the network. So the PATS module is just a roommate of the clusters.

When we disable PATS, we are not touching the cluster or PATS module. We are only telling the PCM that it no longer needs to seek permission from the PATS module in order to start the vehicle. This works, because the PCM is in charge of the injectors, not the PATS module. But here's the catch. On the vehicles that have PATS Starter Interrupt, the PATS module is in charge of grounding the starter relay. So even though we bypass PATS in the PCM, the starter will not engage because the PATS module is not happy. And the PATS module will NEVER be happy about a PATS delete in the PCM, because once the PCM is told that the vehicle is not equipped with PATS, it quits trying to talk to the PATS module. The PATS module then becomes mad, because of lack of communication with the PCM. Basically, the PATS module got fired, but nobody told it not to show up for work the next day. So PATS still thinks it has a job, but really it was rendered useless.... except for these vehicles with a Starter Interrupt.

So here's the fix. If your starter relay has a wire that goes to the PATS module, then PATS is partially in charge of engaging the starter relay. It does so by providing a ground signal to the starter relay. The ignition switch provides the power signal to the starter relay. (I'm talking about the control side of the relay here). Once we delete PATS in the PCM, the PATS module will never be happy again, and it will interrupt the starter relay non-stop. So all we have to do to get around that is to cut the wire going from the starter relay to the PATS module, put a ring terminal on that wire (the end of the wire that goes to the starter relay), and ground it to the chassis. The starter relay will then always have a ground, but will only have power when you put the key to the START position. This effectively bypasses the Starter Interrupt. Combine that with having us shut off the PATS system in the PCM, and you should have a truck that starts. The PATS theft light will continue blinking rapidly for about one minute after the engine starts, but eventually it will go out. You could always pull the theft bulb if that bothers you.

 

Interesting information, thank you for sharing

 

Alright Steve. Thank you for your reply here. Per the Motorcraft link you shared here, my 2007 does have a starter interrupt. I have checked my Ford wire diagrams book and am lost trying to find this wire you write about here, going between the starter relay and the anti theft module. The starter motor relay wire is the brown green wire at connector C197A. But for the wire going to the module, is that gonna be on the instrument cluster connectors, or on the board itself? Or, is it one of the four going to the anti theft transceiver? The instrment cluster connectors C220A and B seem to have only three ignition related wires. In 220A there is pin 4 for ignition switch key in. And in 220B, there are pins 14 for remote RF receiver, and pin 15 for transceiver transmit data TX out. Where is this wire you write about that needs to be cut? And, by starter relay, do you mean the actual fuse, or relay in the battery junction box; or the relay wire conecting to the actual starter motor??

 

Your 2007 is a little different than the 99-01 Rangers. Your starter relay is controlled by two things: 1) The ignition switch sends power to the starter relay's control side. And 2) the PCM sends ground to the starter relay's control side. Both must work equally well. PCM pin 2 is a yellow wire that goes from the PCM to the starter relay. The PCM grounds this wire when it wants to engage the starter relay.

Cut that yellow wire on PCM pin 2, and take the end that goes to the starter relay and ground it with a ring terminal to a good chassis ground. Then just turning the key to START will be enough to engage the starter motor.

Regards,
Steve
Drag Radial Performance

 

alright steve. so would i be good just pulling pin 2 on the powertrain connector, attach a ring terminal and put it to a ground? or do i need to also find another wire going to the starter relay?

and, would this in effect work with the tune you made for me for disabling the anti theft system? also, would i then, after applying this wire modification, be safe to remove the transceiver from the steering column AND use a plain non-chip key to start the engine?

 

The tune I made for you will stop the computer from disabling the fuel injectors because of PATS issues. The relay wiring mod I laid out above will stop the PATS module from disabling the starter. It will take both on this vehicle to get it to both start and run.

Cut the yellow wire going from the PCM (pin 2) to the starter relay. Take the end of that wire that leads to the PATS module, and ground it.

 

alright steve. so am i leaving the pin in the powertrain connector C175B, and cutting the wire where it goes to the relay then?? and is the relay in the battery junction box F11. if that is where it is, am i having to remove the box from the engine bay to access that wire, or is it part of a connector somewhere that i can just remove a pin?

then, this wire going to the anti theft module, is that the same circuit, a yellow wire also? are they both the same wire, or two different. like am i cutting the yelow wire at the relay, and making a ground, and cutting another yellow wire at the module. --THEN, for the module, would i need to remove the instrment cluster connector?

what diagram cell should i reference in my wire diagram book. i am looking at cell 121-1 passive anti theft system, but cannot see the wire youre talking about here:
"Take the end of that wire that leads to the PATS module"

do i take that yellow wire, when cut; and pass it somehow thorugh the firewall to connect somehow to the module? what do i do?

im sorry for all these questions. i am kinda lost here.

thank you

 

and ron, the type is type C. the no start is a no crank. i turn the key and nothing happens but the rapidly flashing anti theft light

 

I'm not looking at the vehicle, or seeing every connector. I'm just looking at a diagram, so use your own judgement about where you want to break that yellow wire. Before you even cut the wire, you could easily test it by backprobing the PCM connector of that yellow wire, and hooking that backprobe up to a multimeter lead that clamps to a ground on the other end. In other words, use a backprobe and multimeter leads to temporarily inject a ground into that connector.

Be careful, don't be wrong! Make sure you are looking at the right wire on the right connector. It's pin 2, yellow wire. Look at the wires around pin 2 on the diagram and check their color, then make sure your PCM has those same color wires around pin 2, so you can make sure you are definitely looking at the right connector, right pin, right neighboring pins.

Wherever the starter relay is, that might be a good place to try and access this yellow wire. The yellow wire runs from the PATS module to the starter relay. Wherever in that wire you can find a nice easy place to break the wire, cut it, and connect an extension wire to it that's long enough to make it to a chassis ground somewhere. Butt connect the extension wire onto the yellow wire using some form of heat shrink. Take the extension wire, crimp a ring terminal onto the other end of it, and ground it to something that should be a good ground. The half of the yellow wire that you want to connect your extension wire to is the half that runs to the relay, not the half that runs to the PATS module. That half can just get capped off.

It's all one yellow wire going from PATS module to starter relay. You're cutting that wire, and taking the cut end that is connected to the relay and grounding that end. Or adding an extension wire, then grounding that end just longer. The end that goes to the PCM is not necessary for anything, and should just be capped off with a little heat shrink tubing.

So you're basically cutting this yellow wire in half, and grounding the half that goes to the starter relay and capping off the other half.

You don't need to remove the cluster for anything. All you're trying to do here is ground the yellow wire that is coming out of the starter relay. That's it. Don't over complicate it.

If you're looking at a Ford EVTM manual, look at the Starter page. I think it's like 10-1 or something early in the book. Find the starter relay on that page, and find the yellow wire that goes from the PATS module to the starter relay. That's what we're working on.

 

so steve, if i understand you correct and while not over complicating things; it seems all im doing here is cutting the yellow wire from pin 2 that goes to the starter relay, and attaching it to a reliable ground point.

but according to my wire book at the anti theft page, there is NO yellow wire going to the anti theft module from the starter relay. the only other connection from the starter relay is a green orange wire which connects to the transmission range sensor.. seeming to have nothing to do with the anti theft module. even being connected to..... in fact there are no wires coming from the starter relay going to the module. i will attach pictures of these from my wire book


there is only one page for the starter relay and one page for the anti theft system. appearing in these two pictures.

all this being so, is it still just as simple as cutting the yellow wire from pin 2 at the starter relay. and attaching it to a ground point?? nothing else?

 

Top page
Yellow(YE) wire goes from starter relay to PCM pin 2, engine computer pin 2, not PATS module

Yes, ground that wire so Starter Relay's coil is grounded all the time

 

okay ron. thank you. so is it really simple as that. cutting the yellow wire from the starter relay, and attaching it to a ground point?? would that be following the modification that steve iterated earlier?? and successfully starting the engine without the anti theft system?

 

Yes, but its just for activating the starter motor, doesn't by-pass PATS, which shuts off fuel injection as its main deterrent to theft

 

well ron, according to steve here, it seems that this wire modification along with the tune he made, would enable the by pass.

i will wait here for his reponse to my previous reply to his earlier statements

 

Yes, if used WITH a PATS delete tune then engine would start

I didn't want someone else reading this post in a year, think it by-passed PATS on its own

 

okay ron. does it matter where on the chassy i attach the ground? can i put it with another ground on the same bolt or screw, or do i needa make a new hole in the chassy for a new ground?

 

Use an existing ground point, so add it to a ground point

 

okay. well im planning on cutting the wire from the relay. attaching it to a ground point, removing the transceiver from the steering column and trying to start the engine with a non transponder key

 

Why would you want to remove the transceiver?
Extra work for 0 benefit????

 

i want to remove things that i see as serving no purpose. anti theft system per this modification and tune, is in effect deleted rendered useless and unnecessary. i dont mind the extra work. im not a busy guy :) ive removed lotsa similar unnecessaries from the truck. i will add the transceiver to the pile. plus, i did already spend money on non transponder keys, so i might as well use them as full replacements for my original equpment anti theft keys, and not spares.

its rather challenging, pulling enough of that yellow wire for pin 2, outta the wrapped pack between the computer and the battery junction box. unwrapping, cutting away shrink tube. fun stuff! but, im up for it!! :P

 

Everything Ron said here is spot on. I may have said to ground the wire going from the starter relay to the anti-theft module, but I mis-spoke. In this truck, the anti-theft module is contained within the PCM. To me, it's the same thing. But I can see where not being more clear about that would be confusing. I thought I said PCM earlier though.

Anyway, pin 2 of the PCM is grounding the starter relay, enabling it to work when PATS wants it to work. By grounding this yellow wire coming from the starter relay to a good ground point, you are essentially "being" the PATS system/PCM, and grounding it all the time. Cut the yellow wire, and ground the end that goes to the relay. The end that goes to the computer is unimportant. Just cap it off with a piece of heat shrink to cover the bare end of the wire and keep it from corroding or touching something it shouldn't.

And to be clear, and to Ron's point, a PATS delete on most Rangers is going to mean a custom calibration from me, combined with this 1-wire modification of grounding the starter relay control/ground wire. If you ground this wire without my PATS delete tune, the starter will engage but the truck still won't have any injector pulse and the engine won't start, it'll just crank.

I would not remove the transceiver ring just yet. At least wait until you prove all this works with a regular $2 key first.