Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Starting issue - Already searched

I've searched through all the old posts and can't seem to find any answers.

First, my car wouldn't turn off when I turned off the ignition and took out the key. It would just sit there idling while I stood outside of the car with my keys in my hand confused. Well after search through the posts, I thought that maybe my ignition switch had died.

Well, I replaced the ignition switch and now the car will not start. The accessories will come on (radio, lights, windows go down, etc...), but the car will not turn over. There is not even any clicking noise like there would be if it were a battery issue. The battery has full charge, the alternator is only a few months old, so basically the only thing I can think of is the starter itself.

If my starter was dead, would there be absolutely no sound when trying to start the car?

Yes, you'd hear no sound if the starter was completely dead or had totally siezed.

You my friend may have a PATS problem. Look at that little red light next to where your clock is, or if you don't have a clock, next to where it says "Contour" on the dash. It should light up continuously for a couple of seconds when you turn the key to "ON" Then it should go out. If it doesn't light up continuously, but instead randomly flashes or doesn't come on at all, you have a PATS malfunction. You won't be able to fix that yourself, you'll have to take it to a Ford dealer, not even a local shop will be able to fix it.

check your starter relay, yet? Sounds like the symptoms of a bad relay, or missing/faulty wiring to the starter itself.

Does your car happen to have ProLock on it? It'd be a little black key below the steering wheel... We have that on our car, and the original key went flakey, totally stumped me why our car wouldn't start until I looked down there to check fuses and remembered about it -- fumbled with it, and the car started

I've checked all the relays and fuses and still nothing. Although I did notice that when the key is in the on position, the PATS light blinks three times then turns off. Does this mean that PATS is preventing ignition?

I went out to my Mystique, the PATS LED does not blink with key on run position. I seem to remember the LED blinks with no cranking of the starter if the key is not programmed and you try to start. Is clutch pedal down when starting, I imagine so. Did you just get new keys made? If so, try the others. This site has lots of (obscure) information about PATS PATS from v8sho.com
but no light blinks..

Same old keys, clutch pedal down. I did just replace the ignition switch, but I don't know how that affects the PATS.

Was the new switch identical to the old?