I have a 99 3.0 ranger twd someone stole my key I went under the glove box and regrounded the pats system wire, but still won’t start. Any suggestions instead of trying to drill out the ignition switch? Or is that even possible after I bypassed the pats?

 

You can't by-pass PATS, thieves have tried for YEARS to do that, they can't

Best bet is to get a Mobile Locksmith with Ford software on their laptop to come out and make at least TWO new PATS keys and program them to your PATS system


PATS disables starter motor but that was just an after thought, it also disables fuel pump power, not hard to beat that either
PATS main deterrent is that it disables fuel injector pulses, and there is no way around that........well unless you get an "engine monkey" to sit on the engine and pour gasoline in while driving, lol

Each PATS key has a unique "number" on an RFID tag in its handle(no batteries needed), the vehicle came with 3 or 4 keys when new, each of those key's numbers were added to the PATS memory
When you turn on the key/computer, it reads that number using an antenna around the key slot, then compares that number to the 3 or 4 numbers in memory, if match is found then starter will work, fuel pump will work, and injectors will work
If no match is found then the THEFT light on dash will flash rapidly, and no starter, no fuel pump and no injectors

And just a heads up, if you try to start a PATS vehicle 3 or 4 times and THEFT light flashes each time, computer will go into LOCKDOWN mode, and won't start, even with correct key, for 90 minutes, unhooking battery doesn't reset that 90min, just an FYI

You can add more PATS keys as needed IF you still have 2 WORKING PATS keys, if you only have 1(or none) then you can't
You need to use a laptop with Ford software to add new PATS keys to memory, keys also have to be cut for the lock as well just like any other key

There is a software called ForScan you can use to add keys, need to add at least two, its not expensive, but you STILL need to have the keys cut to match lock