kenawood1976

Hey guys, just joined, pretty cool forum. I got a 2006 Mustang V6 convertible. I too only got one key when I bought the car used. Lately the key seems to only work sometimes. Seems completely random as to when it may or may not work. I can usually get it to work by disconnecting the battery for 10 sec with headlights on to reset the computer but it getting annoying for my wife and kid to have to do this every time they go somewhere and it acts up. Also right around the time this started happening the new keyless remotes I bought and programmed stopped working. I have tried reprogramming them but that doesn't help. Wondering if the PATSII software could be corrupt or something. Anyone know how to fix this issue? I'm broke so I am trying to do it myself. Thanks for any help

eagle42101

When you say your key doesn't work do you mean the remote portion of your key does not work? IF this is what you are referring to, have you replaced the battery in the key lately? They are pretty cheap and easy to replace. Sounds like that may be your problem.

99GTvert

Seems like the car wont read the physical key (chip) sometimes..thats bizarre. Maybe the PATS chip was damaged? Really strange.

kenawood1976

Yes the actual key sometimes does not get read correctly. As far as I know there is no battery in the key. I believe I would have to destroy it to get to the inside where the chip is.

09GT/CS

Not sure on the mustang but on my ranger I had the same issue and there was a black wore ring inside the column at the base of the lock cylinder that energizes the chip to read it's code. They can get bound in the moving parts and break or get moved out of position. The chips rarely go bad not impossible but rare. And since its affected by the cars battery I would say it's something on the car side and not the key itself.

09GT/CS

Is it a factory ford key or a copy? Just thought about that and could explain things.

kenawood1976

It is a factory key. Thanks 09GT/CS. Did you have to take your Ranger into the dealer? Doesn't sound like a job I should try myself lol.

09GT/CS

Actually I did it myself. On the ranger it was plugged in at the base of the steering column. But we fixed them a lot at my shop If you want to know for sure what the problem is might try taking it to the dealer and have them run you a quote. Also PATS II has been out for a while now and a lot of mom and pop shops have the tools to diagnose and repair the system. We used to program keys all the time and diagnose the parts at the last shop I worked for. So just shop around you may be able to find a shop that can fix it for cheaper than the dealer.

kenawood1976

Could the wore ring in the ignition explain the remote problem as well?

09GT/CS

I meant wire my darn phone change it haha. But no the keypad has its receiver somewhere else in the car. The ring is only for the key to tell the PCM it's ok to energize the starter.