Stall and Flashing "THEFT" Light

[svtenthusiast]

I bought a '97 SHO last week and it has been great so far. Last night when I left from work, I tried to put the windows down. Nothing. Tried the passenger switches. Nothing. The window lock switch was not on. All other accessories including the moonroof worked. I drove to a friends house and parked it for an hour. Started the car and then hit the window switch. The windows went down and the car stalled. The "THEFT" light was flashing fast so I pulled the key out of the ignition. Then I reinserted and the car started fine, windows worked, it was fine this morning. Anyone have this happen? I don't see how they can be related except if there is a wiring issue. Are the windows controlled through the PATS module? I am thinking that may be the problem with the "THEFT" light. Thanks for your input.

1997 SHO Silver Frost

 

[SHOZ123]

Here are the parts of the Anti-Theft system.

Components
The system is composed of the following components:

remote anti-theft personality (RAP) module
remote entry antenna
luggage compartment door lock tamper switch
anti-theft warning indicator (output)
door lock cylinder switches (220A40) (inputs)
hood anti-theft control bracket and switch (19A434) (input)
liftgate interface module (wagon)
The following components already exist on the vehicle and are also used in the anti-theft system:

horn relay (output)
parking lamp (13200)
generic electronic module (GEM) (input and output)
starter relay
autolamp headlamp relay (output)
autolamp park lamp relay (output)
door lock relays
door ajar switches


Here is what triggers the system

System Triggering
NOTE: Although the remote entry PANIC alarm is not associated with the monitoring of the vehicle, the user will frequently say that the theft system was triggered when actually the keyless entry remote transmitter PANIC button was inadvertently pressed. A panic alarm will not flash the THEFT indicator.



The alarm can be triggered by the following events if the system has been armed and has not been disarmed first:

Open any door, luggage compartment door or liftgate.
Open the hood (16612) (if the hood was open when the system was armed, it must be closed before it can trigger the alarm).
Dislodge the luggage compartment lock cylinder (opening with the key or remote entry transmitter will not cause the alarm to trigger).
When the system is triggered the perimeter alarm will operate as follows:

The remote anti-theft personality module will pulse the following outputs 250 ms ON and 450 ms OFF for two minutes 45 seconds (for North America):

low beam headlamps
parking lamps
horn
THEFT indicator
Other perimeter alarms can be programmed for the system (refer to Worldwide Alarm Configurations Chart).

The perimeter alarm can be retriggered, after a perimeter alarm has sounded for 165 seconds. After a perimeter alarm has timed out, if any trigger input is first seen as normal and is then seen in its trigger state, the perimeter alarm will be retriggered. The perimeter alarm can be triggered a total of three times between an arming sequence and a disarm event. An active panic alarm will be deactivated when a perimeter alarm is triggered (a perimeter alarm overrides a panic alarm).

 

[svtenthusiast]

Thanks for the info. However, I don't think it has to do with the "active" anti-theft system, but somthing with the passive "PATS" anti-theft. (Keys with the chip in them)

 

[Glue Maker]

Has your key been submerged in water? I hear that a key exposed to water can cause problems with the PATS system.

 

[svtenthusiast]

Has your key been submerged in water? I hear that a key exposed to water can cause problems with the PATS system.

I am not sure, I have only owned the car 5 days. I will try one of the other 7 keys the guy gave me with the car. I think it's heat related because it did it again when I went to lunch after it had been sitting in the sun.

 

[Ian Macoomb]

Get a tuner or chip from Ford Performance Specialists and have them program out the PATS and never have to worry about it again.

 

[spragers]

Get a tuner or chip from Ford Performance Specialists and have them program out the PATS and never have to worry about it again.

Kind of defeats the whole purpose of the anti-theft system, doesn't it?

 

[SHOZ123]

Anti-Theft System, Passive
The passive anti-theft system uses radio frequency identification technology to deter a driveaway theft. Passive means that it does not require any activity from the user.

During each vehicle start sequence, the ignition key identification code is requested by the vehicle protection anti-theft electronics.
If the key's ID code has been programmed into the system, the powertrain control module (PCM) (12A650) is signaled to enable the vehicle to start.
If the key's ID code is not programmed into the system, or if no encoded key is detected, then the powertrain control module is signaled to disable the vehicle.
The passive anti-theft system communicates the state of the security system to the powertrain control module via the J-1850 communications network data link connector (DLC). The powertrain control modulebased on the communications from the passive anti-theft system, will determine if the vehicle's engine is enabled to start.

The passive anti-theft system differs from the active anti-theft alarm system in that the passive anti-theft system enables/disables the vehicle from starting and only operates with the ignition switch in RUN/START position. The active anti-theft alarm system has perimeter protection capabilities and operates only with the ignition switch OFF. Refer to Section 13-11A for active anti-theft alarm system information.

 

[Ian Macoomb]

Kind of defeats the whole purpose of the anti-theft system, doesn't it?

That's the point. I'm not afraid of someone stealing my car. They still have to:
a) have the motive to steal the car
b) break into the car
c) hotwire the car
d) disable the steering lock

I think a) is the best theft deterrent.

 

[MilTownSHO]

Your battery is probably going bad, theft light would sometimes flash on the 98 while driving, other stuff started wigging out. Very slowly this happened and finally the battery said NO MORE. Replaced the factory battery and all is well now.

On a semi unrelated note, the 97 was parked for a week since I brought the 91 out of hiding from winter, when I drove it again the driver rear window decided it didnt want to work anymore, I think its jealous!

 

[Glue Maker]

Your battery is probably going bad, theft light would sometimes flash on the 98 while driving, other stuff started wigging out. Very slowly this happened and finally the battery said NO MORE. Replaced the factory battery and all is well now.

On a semi unrelated note, the 97 was parked for a week since I brought the 91 out of hiding from winter, when I drove it again the driver rear window decided it didnt want to work anymore, I think its jealous!

97 "That old Southern *****! What she got that I dont!!!"

 

[MilTownSHO]

97 "That old Southern *****! What she got that I dont!!!"

 

[Rubix]

anyone know why my anti theft light occaisionally blinks at a faster rate than usual for no -apparent- reason? ...even when driving? it randomly does this from time to time.