Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications 3.0L Duratec Need Help: Keys wont take

Dobule posted on cougar forum.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I took the cougar down to get the keys programmed with my ECU, but the dealership told me that they couldn't get the keys programmed correctly. They told me they didn't know what was wrong with it and gave me a list of possibilities which included: Ignition switch, bad wiring, fuses, or anything from bumper to bumper. Its really frustrating and I don't know what to look at. Heres the specs on the car.

SVT ECU
3l swap with SVT parts
24# injectors
return style fuel
fully updated tranny

Here's what the car does:
I put in the key and all the components (turn signals, wipers, heater, etc) were working. I turn the key and the gauges go blank and nothing happens. The speedo and tach gauges goes all the way up and back down when key is reinserted like the computer is resetting and there is a beep.

The security light that is on the dash (near rear defrost button) does not flash at all. Even when the key is out. The guy at the dealership told me that this should be flashing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated since I don't know where to begin at all. I'm thinking that it is either a bad ecu or possibly some sort of ignition problem.

Link to ECU

Check the pinouts wiring maybe different???

What year is your car?

SVT PCM with Cougar wiring. I'm guessing it doesn't like the PCM. Has anyone else with your year done this?

Yes, but I'm sure they were same generation cars. His Cougar might be an 01+ or something. Cougar's still have a lot of differences than Contour's. Look at all the warning lights, dash read out, etc etc. There are 2 generations of PATS as well.

I know it's possible to put a 2000SVT ECU into a late 99 with returnless fuel system.

Granted the dealership didn't think it would work but they did it anyway for me and it did.

Besides that I am of no help so i'll stop typing now.

I currently have a 98 SVT ECU in my 99 return Cougar.

Thanks for all the replies. I've read a couple people having the SVT ECU in cougars, but I don't remember their names right off hand.

Here's what i did today.

I went up to the dealership where my car is and did a pin test ( per the ford CD) to check the pats system / ecu. It should that the ECU was bad. The test is pin 82 on the ECU plug to a ground. It lights up the dash light. I removed the ECU (SVT RJL1) and took it home. I then wanted to make sure that it was the ECU so I removed the one in my girlfriend's contour (99 return MTX) and put the SVT one in the car. I hooked the battery back up and voila. The dash light came on showing that pats was working. OK that sucks. I wanted to see exactly what happens when the key is turned over and pats disabled the car. I turned the key and it crank and started right up. OK WTF. Everyone on here said you have to have the keys reprogrammed after an ecu change. I only ran it for about a second or two since it was probably running lean.

I then removed the SVT ECU and left the original unplugged. Reconnected the battery and looked at dash. No ECU connected and the PATS light was still flashing as normal. OK WTF? Will it start now? Nope. I turned the key and it cranked over fine but didn't start. The dash light stayed on full time while cranking (idication of pats problem).

So it seems there is another problem besides my ECU. What I don't understand is why did her car start with the SVT ECU in place of the stock ECU if you have to have the keys programmed? What sensor are the keys programmed into? I thought it was the ECU. but apparently it is something else. Could it be in the pats radio sensor?

I will be replacing the pats radio sensor located on the ignition and see if that makes a difference. I will also be replacing the battery since it may be a problem. As well as double checking all the fuses and ground wires. I will also be jumping two pins on the wiring harness and see if it cranks (if it does then it is a pats issue).

One thing i've noticed about my car though. When I lock the doors and trigger the alarm, the turn lights don't flash like they should. This is when the pats system should turn on (after removing a programmed key) the blinking indicator light. I'm gonna research the alarm system on the Ford CD.

I've changed the battery, looked over grounds, double checked plug connections, and tried a different pats radio sensor and still not working at all. I've also tried to jump pin 77 and 18 (per ford cd) on the ECU plug and it was supposed to crank the starter. Of course it didn't so I'm now thinking it's not a pats issue at all (even though I may still need the keys programmed). I can jump the starter relay at the fuse box in the engine compartment to the pos of the battery. The starter cranks that way but not at the ECU plug.

I will be towing the car back from Ford tomorrow and maybe look at it some again, but I am in the middle of moving so it may have to wait a few days.

Edit: Yes the wiring was a mess. Hellacious hack job was done on it. I went over every wire that they installed and removed them all. It seems they were running nitrous, a kill switch on rear bumper, an aftermarket stereo, and an aftermarket tach. There was three different switched installed on the dash. I removed all their wiring which included some sort of starter relay (under dash) that I'm assuming was for nitrous. All the wires were not connected to anything except a few going to the main ECU plug which was for the tach. I cut those out an soldered the "stock" wires back together. I may have missed something so I'm gonna double check that after I look over the ford cd and get an idea on some starting issues.

What year SVT ECU? If it is date code past January of 98, then it has internal pats. If it is before that, it has no internal pats.