Okay so I’ll try to make it quick. 99 Ranger 3.0 Manual 5spd 4x4

I cannot get this truck to start, it sat for awhile in my driveway when the E brake cable snapped and is stuck engaged. I would periodically go out to start the truck and let it get to temp.

one day went out to start and nothing, no crank, just a click at the Relay under the glove box.

many weekends spent trying to figure this out, fuses, grounds, learned about the whole PATS system.

thing is I have no Theft light on dash at all. All dash lights illuminate on the ON position, just nothing once key is turned to START. I have completely opened the dash up at this point, taken out the air bag to see the PATS module etc. Since im not getting a flashing theft light at all I don’t know how to diagnose this. I have two original chipped keys. Drove the truck for a year or so after I bought it and never had an issue.

CEL is coming on when key turned to ON

plugged into a snap on reader awhile back and it was only giving me a code or message about the drivers side door lock but the thing is I have manual door locks and manual windows.

Im very stumped on what to do. I have jumped / grounded the Starter and fuel pump and it will crank and I can hear the pump come on when key turned to on but it won’t start.

any suggestions? I’ve spent the morning reading posts on PATS and at this point I’m starting to look for a PCM from a 98.

any info on this would be awesome. Really want to drive this truck and tired of people knocking on my door asking to buy it.

 

Welcome to the forum

Do you remember the THEFT light on the dash flashing every 3 to 5 seconds, key off and out, BEFORE it was parked or from the last time you started it?
Point of PATS Theft light is to let thieves know PATS is active, so LED flashes 24/7 when key is off and out
It is an LED bulb but they can burn out

If you have a code reader then a PATS issue will generate these "B" codes
B1213 Less than 2 (or 3 if equipped w/Valet key) keys programmed to the system.
B1232/B2103 Transceiver internal antenna damaged. Replace transceiver.
B1342 ECU is defective (EEPROM in PCM is not working — replace PCM). PATS related when stored in PCM only.
B1600 Non-PATS Key or damaged key.
B1601 Unprogrammed encoded ignition key detected (leave ignition on for 20 seconds before trying a programmed key, in Anti-Scan Mode).
B1602 Partial detection of encoded ignition key.
B1681 Transceiver signal not detected.
B2141 Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) configuration failure — No PCM ID stored in PATS.
B2139/U2510 PCM ID does not match between the PCM and PATS control(PATS/ICM/VIC/HEC/SCIL).
B2431 Key program failure (defective key or transceiver).



For PATS to work and starter motor as well, Battery voltage needs to be 12.3v or higher
Fuse 24 in cab fuse box needs to be good for starter motor to activate
Clutch pedal down to pass voltage from fuse 24 to the starter relay

You can pull out the Starter relay in the engine bay fuse box and use a jumper wire to see if PATS is the issue or starter motor
Ford used two different relay models in Rangers
Mini relay like this: https://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/...iring-840x.jpg
Or
Micro relay like this: https://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/...lay-wiring.jpg

For either, slots 30 and 87 when connected together, will activate the device this relay controls, in this case starter motor will activate if you connect slot 30 and slot 87 together

Make sure transmission is in NEUTRAL and wheels blocked, you are by-passing safety features
Starter motor should start cranking the engine when 30 and 87 are jumpered
If you just get a "click", or nothing from starter motor then its bad

If key is on and PATS is not an issue then engine will start, and THEFT light is for sure burnt out
If PATS is the problem then no fuel injectors so no start, and theft light is most likely burnt out, lol

 

okay so I’m pretty sure the theft light used to work so maybe it burned out. I have the dash out now and took out the theft light and tried to replace it with another light but didn’t have any luck. Maybe that wouldn’t work because it is the only LED out of all of them?

waiting on my brother to get off work to come by with his snap on computer reader thing.

last time I believe I tried to read it it just said something about a power window or power door lock which this truck isn’t equipped with. Maybe I just need to buy all new fuses.

and the part im most dreading bringing up is that the interior of the truck would retain moisture sometimes here in the NW. but I have pulled every fuse and put them back in. Swapped All relays around. Im really hoping this isn’t a contact issues somewhere that I cannot reach. Or maybe the PCM went bad all together?

but the CEL does come on when I put the key into the on position so that should mean that the PCM is communicating.

 

Yes, THEFT light is for sure a 12volt LED, only stock LED in the dash in 1999
You can switch your back lights over to LEDs

LEDs have a + and - side unlike regular bulbs, so they won't work if reversed, doesn't hurt anything just won't light up

 

okay so just called it a night. Here’s what I got. Theft light is not coming on, took it out and tested LED on multimeter and LED does illuminate. So that’s odd.

battery is truck is less than a year old and stays on a maintainer.

I plugged the truck into my brothers snap on reader and the results were interesting. I will try to upload the pictures I took of all the codes. But basically seems that the truck was not communicating very much with the reader.

the snap on ethos thing had PATS related tests and it seemed as if it wasn’t recognizing a key at all.

 

Looking like a GEM issue

There are only the 3 "P" cods from the PCM
P1000 just means battery was unhooked at some point, it won't go away until you drive a few times and it will reset on its own
P0232 is actually a good sign, lol, it means fuel pump 12v was at inertia switch when it shouldn't have been and PATS disabled fuel pump 12volts so pump was getting 12v
P0500 no speed signal at computer, speed signal COMES FROM the GEM in 1998-2000 Rangers

The 4WD "P" codes are from the GEM via the PCM, the GEM is the 4WD controller but 4WD is part of the Powertrain, so "P" code
The "B" codes are all from the GEM

You can do a full clear and reset of codes and then try and start engine to see what comes back

I would jumper the starter relay to see if engine starts, key on

You have an oddball issue thats for sure

 

definitely an oddball issue. Symptoms of PATS but no PATS codes or theft light. I find it odd that the theft light isn’t on at all not even blinking when the LED was fine when tested.

I believe I did try to clear all codes but either they came back or were just still there.

I have jumped the starter and it will crank and I also jumped the fuel pump because that wasn’t coming on and then after jumping fuel pump I heard it hum and also no start. So it cranked and had power to the pump but wouldn’t start. So that led me back to believe it was PATS because I read that pats main anti theft feature is to kill the injectors. So seemingly it was spraying into cylinder or it was getting spark, kinda could be the only two other things for not starting in my mind?

fully stumped. Have spent so much time on this thing but actually learning a lot haha.

 

There is one common denominator between PATS module and GEM module, that's Fuse 25 in the cab fuse box, it also powers part of instrument cluster

 

yeah I just ordered a bunch of new fuses. I guess I just start replacing them all and maybe trying to clean out where the fuse plugs in with a super fine file.

the truck did retain a lot of moisture inside the cab during the wet months. I do remember at one point opening the driver side door and it being wet on the door and dash. Potentially even the fuse panel. I’m also going to go to some junkyards and look for pats transceivers, gem modules and anything else I can think of to potentially replace.

I have reached out to someone from the forums that offers a PATS delete from the PCM. You mail them your PCM and for about $100 plus shipping they will completely delete pats from your PCM.

im also under the impression if I can find a PCM from a 1998 ranger 3.0L 4x4 manual transmission then this would suffice and I would only have to ground the starter relay.

 

The PATS module and PCM are "married" at the factory so to replace either one requires them to be "remarried", I think Forscan software can do that, but if replacing PATS module you also need correct keys to match what in its memory or erase them and add yours, another Forscan thing

1998 Ranger shouldn't have PATS, it was a pay extra option but not usually requested/ordered
BUT.................1998 may use a 3 wire Cam sensor, 1999 and up changed to 2 wire, 3 wire is DC and 2 wire AC so totally different signals, so you would have to do some rewiring and add a 3rd wire
If the 3.0l engine is still in the vehicle with the computer see what it has, 2 or 3 wire cam sensor
The 4.0ls for sure used 3 wire in 1998, but not sure on the 3.0l's, I have a 1998 3.0l wiring diagram that shows it as 2 wire cam sensor

2WD or 4WD doesn't matter to PCM