How To Bypass Ford Pats System Without A Key - Vehicle Freak

• Luka Kusic

Updated on August 12, 2022

Ford has introduced the PATS system as a way to keep your vehicle more secure against theft. However, most of us see it as a nuisance that prevents us from easily replacing the ignition key, which is why we look for ways around it.

The whole point of the PATS system is to prevent you from starting the vehicle without the original key that has the transponder chip. Without the key, you will not be able to bypass it, but if you’ve still got the original key, there’s a way to permanently bypass the PATS system.

What Is the Ford Pats System?

Ford’s Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS), otherwise known as the Ford Securilock or simply engine immobilizer was introduced in 1996.

It acts as an anti-theft countermeasure by ensuring that the car can only be started with the original key. This prevents theft through lock picking, and even if the thief had an identical key to the original, they still wouldn’t be able to start the car.

The system consists of the following components:

• Encoded ignition key
• Transceiver module
• Powertrain control module
• Standard corporate protocol communication network
• Theft Indicator
• Instrument Cluster

The encoded ignition key has a small chip inside of it that emits a unique RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) signal. The chip does not require batteries and can last a lifetime.

When you insert the encoded key into the ignition, the signal from the chip is received by a small antenna inside the steering wheel column shroud. When the key is turned to crank the engine, the antenna will pick up the signal and send it to the transceiver module.

The signal is then passed on to the instrument cluster and the power control module (PCM) to decide whether or not the car should be started. All of the communication is done over the standard corporate protocol (SCP) communication network.

The system is paired permanently and is very difficult to bypass or hack. Even if the battery is disconnected, the internal memory will remember the only RFID that can start the vehicle.

Should any attempt be made to start the vehicle without the correctly encoded key, a theft indicator will appear on the dashboard to warn the owner of what happened.

Can You Bypass Pats Without a Key

The previous section tells why it’s not possible to bypass the Securilock without the original key – that’s the entire point of the system.

If you do not have the original key, there are only two things you can do:

1. Call a locksmith or the dealership for on-location assistance.
2. Buy a car key programmer.

The cheapest solution is to call a local locksmith or mechanic and as long as they’re able to do the job, it should cost between $100 and $200. Licensed dealership technicians will charge a lot more, but both options are cheaper than buying a diagnostic and programming tool.

Typically, I would recommend getting a tool for its long-term benefits, but I doubt you’ll need a key programmer more than once.

How to Bypass Pats With a Key

Spending extra cash on programming another encoded key is not an expense everyone can and should pay for. The PATS system has been around for 20-25 years and has become significantly less effective over time.

A combination of multiple safety systems can raise the chances of preventing theft, but if you want to get rid of Ford’s PATS system, I totally understand.

The procedure to permanently bypass the PATS system is fairly simple:

1. Disassemble the ignition key grip to get to the RFID chip.
2. Carefully remove the chip from its housing, then reassemble the key.
3. Use a piece of tape to temporarily secure the RFID chip close to the ignition lock.
4. Insert the key and try starting the vehicle. If the engine doesn’t start, reposition the chip and try again.
5. Once you’re able to reliably start the engine, superglue the chip or use other means to properly secure it.
6. Now you’ll be able to start the car with any copy of the key!

How to Program a New Key Fob

Apart from using the diagnostics tool or taking the original key along with the new copy to a locksmith, there’s one more procedure you can try before you resort to other methods. Just make sure that the new key has an unprogrammed chip inside of it.

The new key can be programmed by following these steps:

1. Put the old key into the ignition. Start the engine, then turn it off.
2. Immediately insert the new key and start the engine.

How to Identify a Faulty Pats System

The only clear symptom of PATS failure is that the engine won’t start with the original key. Once you’ve ruled out the ignition lock, PATS remains the only plausible cause. Failure of the Securilock system is accompanied by different error codes that we can read with an .

Keep in mind that PATS cannot stop an already running engine. If your car stalls out and stops on the road, the cause is not the anti-theft system. The starter may also be the cause of the problem if the vehicle won’t start at all.

Error Code	Meaning
B1213	Warns you that there are less than two keys programmed to the system.
B1232/B2103	The transceiver antenna is damaged and needs to be replaced.
B1342	The ECU is defective and needs to be inspected or replaced.
B1600	The key used is invalid – either damaged or mismatching.
B1601	Unprogrammed encoded ignition key detected.
B1602	Partial detection of encoded ignition key – weak signal.
B1681	Transceiver signal not detected.
B2141	No PCM ID stored in PATS – memory configuration failure.
B2139/U2510	PCM ID does not match between PCM and PATS control
B2431	Key program failure – faulty key or transceiver.
U1147/U1262	Communication issue between PCM and PATS (PATS/ICM/VIC/HEC/SCIL)
U1900/U0100 U2511/B2009	Communication issues between PCM and PATS (CAN J2284 – ICM)
P1260	PCM disabled the vehicle because of a PATS concern.

FAQs

How do you remove the Ford Anti-theft system?

There is no easy way of removing the anti-theft system as by design it was made to be as difficult to break as possible.

The PATS system is integrated into the vehicle’s computer, dashboard, and ignition lock, and successfully removing it would be more trouble than it’s worth.

My advice would be to bypass the system by following the method explained in the article. It’s a 5-minute procedure and can be reversed in case you want to sell the vehicle later on.

Is there a fuse for the anti-theft system?

Every electrical component inside a vehicle has a fuse, but don’t think that pulling it out will let you bypass the alarm or anti-theft system. If anything, it might engage it if the system is primed. If disabling the anti-theft systems was as easy as pulling a fuse, they would be completely worthless.

Can I remove a fuse to prevent theft?

Technically, this could work, as pulling the right fuse would prevent certain critical parts from functioning and therefore make the vehicle immobile. The same can be achieved by disconnecting or better yet taking out the battery.

How do you know if your car has Pats?

The pats system has become widespread in the late ’90s and your vehicle more than likely has it installed. The easiest way to identify whether your car has a pats system is to take a look at the ignition key – if it has a chip, then your vehicle has the anti-theft system installed.

Summary

Although Ford’s PATS system cannot be bypassed without the ignition key, there are a couple of ways you can get around it once you’ve got the proper RFID chip.

By taking the chip out of the key and gluing it to the ignition lock, the PATS system will always register the correct code and let you start the vehicle.

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