Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Different Ford PATS systems???

As many of you might know, I have a 98 Contour. I have successfully programmed several new keys for this car. I also understand the electronics behind the scenes.

Now, I have a 2003 Lincoln Aviator (with PATS, of course). I have made a cheap-o key without the expensive PATS chip and epoxied a PATS chip I had laying around to it. This is the same kind of PATS chip that works with the 98 Contour. I can't get the Aviator to take the new chip. I haven't tried another one yet (but I have several at my disposal thanks to Mobil SpeedPass!)

The question is this: Does anyone know of a new kind of PATS system for the 2003MY F/L/M cars?

The keys certainly look different than my '01 LS8.

My service DVD only goes to 2002. Google hasn't brought anything up, either.
Thanks,

-Chris

Yes the systems did change My 95 Mondeo has a Bosch system and later cars have a Siemens system. To find out look at the original key/transponder it has a FCC compliance #. Go to their website and you can punch in the number and it will give you Lots of details inc frquencies etc about the particular unit. Hope this helps.

Presumably you're aware that vehicles built in 1998 onwards require two keys to program a third. Don't know if key chips are compatible with the earlier system, but doubt it.
My suggestion; park the Aviator for a week, drive the Contour, save enough on gas to pay for new key.

I do know that the older PATS style key is not interchangable with the newer style that has a different shape. The newer Ford key is known as a "jewel" key and has a blue oval Ford emblem on the head (the "jewel"). I made the mistake of having two keys cut for a customer without asking what the old ones looked like and they would not program.

Horseydug, do you have something against Lincolns?

Yeah, mine is the pretty new jewel kind. It's mostly square. I wonder what else uses that kind of transponder (man, I am cheap!)

Here is what I found:



$19.99 @ steetkeys.com

On a related note, some of the people over at Escape-Central ( www.escape-central.com ) have been buying clear PATS keys (the old type like our cars use) on ebay. I'm not sure I would want one, but it does look kind of neat.

I love it!

Check out this link. I have a key cut to fit my ignition but no chip and have no other chipped keys. Going to order a unprogrammed key and try this out. Will let know how it goes. Anyone tried this before? Check link


http://www.fordf150.net/howto/patskey.php


- dstock

Same info in FAQ here: PATS programming

Problem is later cars (Mar 98+) require 2 coded PATS keys to produce a 3rd. I'm afraid you're faced with having to have a dealer rekey/reprogram your car, although original selling dealer may have record of key info thereby avoiding rekeying.