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Need help. How to reset P1260 PATS code?

33K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  MOCKBA 
#1 ·
I've got a 2000 Mustang GT. It won't start and theft light is blinking furiously, so I plugged in my OBDII scanner and got a P1260 THFT DET VEH IMMOB DTC code.

It was running fine and just did this spontaneously tonight. My battery is a little weak, around 11.5 volts according to my volt meter.

How the hell can I reset this? My car is disabled due to this stupid PATS code. I haven't changed keys. Using same key I've always had. Even my 2nd key that I've had in the drawer for years won't start the car.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the manual. I've got the same P1260 issue on 99 V6. I have this car for 20 years and it just failed to start yesterday. Towed it to mechanic and he pointed out that Anti-theft doesn't prove-out and stays lit (not flashing) in RUN position. So I borrowed his supped-up scanner that could reprogram keys etc and sure enough it shows P1260 code that I couldn't reset. Scanner says that code reset is successful but when I read codes again P1260 is still there.

So I went thru Erase Ignition Keys couple times - No luck. Same behavior.

Should I go thru Replacing PATS Module and/or Replacing PCM procedures?

Mechanic says I need new ECC and it would be $500 and a week to reprogram it. Is it so? Should instruction in article be sufficient?

The article says that P1260 code should have DTCs stored in PATS. How do I access those to further diagnose if ECC needs to be replaced?
 
#5 ·
Yea, I found the solution to this BS problem.

I just contacted American Muscle and I got an email from SCT about 20 minutes later. I gave them my Order# and they are going to disable the PATS system in both of my tunes and email them back to me.

You know, I understand that PATS is good in theory. However, it frequently and invariably becomes problematic on many Ford vehicles. And just ends up serving as a huge inconvenience and costing the customer.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I solved the problem. I'll write out the steps I took in the event this might benefit another member in the future with a similar problem.

Contacted American Muscle, which in turn contacted SCT. I requested to have PATS disabled in my two custom tune files. SCT tech emailed me two updated tunes with PATS disabled along with instructions on how to upload an email tune file into SCT XCal2 using a free to download software called LiveLoad Ford 2.2.12.1 from sctflash.com The updated tune files were free of charge as part of AM's lifetime tune policy.

My car would not start prior to this process due to PATS P1260. And this is probably due to either a bad transponder in both keys, bad transceiver ring in ignitions switch, or a bad diode in PCM. Or maybe another problem as well. Who knows. And I don't care as I'm not going to pay to have this crap diagnosed and fixed at the dealership. I've got better things to spend my money on right now.

The fix:

1. Disconnect battery for 1 hour.
2. Pump the brakes to bleed off any excess voltage in the system.
3. Reconnect battery
4. Plug in tuner to OBDII port (with key off) and begin program process of uploading new PATS disabled tune file, following the prompts. Complete that process.
5. The car fires right up. Theft light does continue to blink intermittently, but not in a fast pattern like it did prior.
6. Run DTC scan and the P1260 is gone, but you do get a P1000 readiness code.
7. Follow the instructions on going through the Ford Drive Cycle process to address this code. http://www.obdii.com/drivecycleford.html
8. Done
 
#9 ·
Read post#6 - That was how I solved my problem. It is a workaround, but it was free. Just required a phone call. It's not likely to be a PCM problem. With my car it was a faulty PATS transceiver in the column that reads the chip in the key. It can't read the key, so the PCM essentially shuts down the fuel pump (15 psi instead of 38 - 40 psi at the fuel rail). That's why mechanically the car doesn't start with a PATS 1260 DTC, not for any other reason.

This is the start sequence on PATS equipped Ford. Key/chip (if correctly programmed like the factory keys) > transceiver in steering column reading the key (if match then next step) > instrument cluster (if good) > PCM. If everything in that signal chain signs off as a match, then PATS is instantly disabled and the vehicle will start. Some people will get new steering clusters without retaining the original module inside the cluster and get a PATS 1260 no start issue.

99% of the time it is the transceiver in the column that goes bad and causes so much grief. It's due to the constant tilting of the wheel over time, vibration, bad design, etc..It's always good to try your 2nd factory key, as there is the possibility the key you primarily use was damaged in some way. However, those factory Ford chipped keys on the SN95s are pretty rugged.

I did not want to buy a new transceiver and mess with the install. And having it done at a dealership is stupid expensive. If you get talked into buying a new PCM because of this issue, you are throwing your money away. You just need to have the PATS system disabled in a custom tune file like I did. However, this is a very old thread. I had actually forgotten about it until I got the email notification tonight. I don't know if SCT has changed their policy on this over the years, but at the time they disabled it for me by request and emailed me the PATS disabled tune. Followed the sequence I described in post#6 and she fired right up. In case you're wondering how I know about the fuel pressure, I had a Jegs fuel pressure gauge installed on the fuel rail at the time. Made it fairly easy to diagnose the problem.
 
#10 ·
Read post#6 - That was how I solved my problem. It is a workaround, but it was free. Just required a phone call. It's not likely to be a PCM problem. With my car it was a faulty PATS transceiver in the column that reads the chip in the key. It can't read the key, so the PCM essentially shuts down the fuel pump (15 psi instead of 38 - 40 psi at the fuel rail). That's why mechanically the car doesn't start with a PATS 1260 DTC, not for any other reason.
I am getting 8 psi on the rail and mechanic says PCM shuts down injectors. Fuel pump is pumping (I could feel it). Regardless it appears to be PATS transceiver went bad since I got B2141 code in HEC.

PATS is $37 from dealer and apparently one could get them from the dealer only. I should get it tomorrow and it should be about an hour job to swap it out and reprogram PCM per instructions in the manual above.

I am absolutely unfamiliar with tuning. Is there "open source way" to disable PATS thru reprogramming PCM? (like googling some software, getting some file and tweaking it?)
 
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