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Key stuck in ignition

S

ssolomo

CEG'er
Joined
Mar 3, 2002
Messages
75
Location
DC area
'98 SVT E1 w/ PATS key, stuck in ignition. Used my spare key (which always was kind of sticky) and it is hung up pulling it about halfway out. Ford only sells a complete lockset for my build date, nearly $300! I know replacing the ignition cylinder is an easy repair from searching, but the problem is flashing a new key (can't put in the old key to program a new key with a different cylinder) - two dealers told me that they have to have the car to flash a new key and it would be over $100 to do it. Ridiculous.

I tried graphite, did nothing. Locksmith I spoke to said to use WD-40 but I'm hesitant with all the electronics in there. Any advice before I spray WD-40 in there?

Thanks,

Steven
 
you don't have to have the old key in the ignition to program another key.

you really have a early 98 and not a 98.5 right? if you have an early 98 you can do the following

take the covers off the steering column. remove the pats antenna from around the ignition cylinder. well you have this done already if you are swapping the ignition cylinder. hold the old key in the middle of the pats antenna away from the ignition and the key. complete the programinr sequence and then move the antenna to the new key in the ignition.

the other way you could do it is get a non-pats key cut to work the ignition as you hold the keys in the pats antenna during the programing sequence.
 
BrApple said:
you really have a early 98 and not a 98.5 right?
Click to expand...

Nope, one of the first 98.5 off the line - I believe the build date was 2/20/98? It's on my SVT certificate, somewhere in a closet...

I'll try WD-40 tonight when I get home. If that doesn't work, and if the cold doesn't get to me, I'll try to take the ignition lock cylinder out and see if I can work the key out with the entire assembly out of the car. It looks pretty easy to get in and out of the steering column.

Thanks!

Steven
 
ssolomo said:
Nope, one of the first 98.5 off the line - I believe the build date was 2/20/98? It's on my SVT certificate, somewhere in a closet...
Click to expand...


well as long as you have the two orginal keys you will be able to program new keys. other wise the dealer has to do it.
 
BrApple said:
well as long as you have the two orginal keys you will be able to program new keys. other wise the dealer has to do it.
Click to expand...

Not if I have to replace the lock cylinder and get new keys - two dealers said they needed me there with the car to flash the PATS with their computer - they won't just do keys anymore, security risk he said. Probably need to give a pint of blood too to prove ownership...

Which means either I replace the cylinder in their parking lot (done that before - repairs in the dealer parking lot - they LOVE that) or get it towed to dealer (good thing I upgraded to AAA plus).
 
if you have your two original programmed keys you can program the new pats keys you get with the new ignition yourself. I have done this twice with two different pcm's in my car!

look up the procedure, you can do it yourself.


EDIT: actually the easy solution. you remove the chips from your old keys and put them into the new keys. no programming needed.
 
BrApple said:
if you have your two original programmed keys you can program the new pats keys you get with the new ignition yourself. I have done this twice with two different pcm's in my car!

look up the procedure, you can do it yourself.


EDIT: actually the easy solution. you remove the chips from your old keys and put them into the new keys. no programming needed.
Click to expand...

The procedure is to turn the old key in the ignition for 1 second, then within 10 seconds put in and turn the new key in the ignition for 1 second to flash the new key code to the PATS. If you have a new cylinder, you can't do that as the keys are cut differently.

I haven't heard (or read anywhere on the forum or elsewhere) how you can take the chip out of the key. Would love some insight and guidance.

Thanks!
 
did you read what I posted? if you move the pats antenna away from the ignition you just hold the key next to it that you want it to read at the specific time in the programming procedure. you use the new key to operate the ignition or a non-pats key. all the ignition does is activate pats when turn to the run possition.

when I first programed a new set of keys to my car after swapping ignitions I think I used the ignition cylinder and key from my 95 ....


as for the chips in the key ... if they are factory keys you should be able to pop the cover off and remove ....
 
OK; I didn't understand how the antenna worked. Now that I've disassembled (and reassembled), I get it now. For those who are interested (and hopefully this comes up on searches in the future), I'll try to be more detailed.

Build dates after 2/2/08 (and a V6?) have a PATS antenna that sits underneath the ignition lock cylinder. There is a ring that goes around the cylinder, but the actual antenna is the flat piece on the bottom. If you need to replace the ignition lock cylinder, you really have two options:

1. Use a pre-2/2/98 cylinder with a non-PATS key (currently retail parts store about $35 for cylinder and 2 keys), and secure the old PATS key to the PATS receiver (zip tie, electrical tape, etc.). There is enough space under the bottom steering wheel cover for this. One option is you can move the receiver and put a sleeve on it or something to hold it and the key, then you have an additional layer of anti-theft - remove the key from the PATS receiver, then the fuel pump won't turn on so the car cannot be driven!

2. Use a post-2/2/98 cylinder with PATS keys (currently retail about $80 for cylinder and 2 PATS keys). To program, as suggested by BrApple, move the PATS receiver out of the way after replacing the cylinder, then to program, hold the old key to the receiver while turning the new key, turn off, move PATS receiver next to cylinder, turn key again to program new key (might want to check exactly how long each step for this procedure).

If the key is stuck in the cylinder, you can get it around the lower steering wheel shroud but you have to take the lower kick panel off to maneuver that piece. It is easier to push in the button to remove the lock cylinder if you remove the top steering wheel shroud (only 2 screws, so why not?).

In the end for me, I doused with WD-40, let it sit for 5 minutes, still couldn't remove the key. I pulled the cylinder, went to Autozone and bought the non-PATS cylinder, installed it, had the exact same problem hanging up in the ignition! I then figured out how to work the old key out of my old cylinder (was able to do with it removed from the car), swapped the cylinders back to the original, and my main key works like butter (my spare key still gets hung up at the end - can't tell why besides it is much less worn).
 
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