Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and mykle
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2023
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 3
- Location
- Portland, OR
- Vehicle Year
- 1999
- Make / Model
- Mazda B3000
- Transmission
- Manual
The saga continues!
Evidence seemed to be pointing to a failed PATS module. My local mechanic told me they couldn't help with that, since it was likely going to require the Dealer Service Card, a special dealer-only tool for resetting/reprogramming the antitheft system.
So I got the truck towed across the river to the local Mazda dealer (since it's technically a Mazda) and have been waiting a few days for them to get to it.
Today the guy from Mazda Service have confirmed that the antitheft system is faulty. They told me that their procedures tell them to first try replacing the transceiver ring around the ignition switch, and then replace the PATS module if that doesn't work.
... but they can't get either of those parts any more! They are no longer manufactured!
Is my truck just scrap metal now? Even though there's nothing mechanically wrong with it? Because the dealer can't fix this only-the-dealer-can-fix-it antitheft problem? Jeez.
I have found some used transceiver rings online, but there seem to be various models of them & I'm not certain how to confirm it'll fit my Ranger.
I have not found any used PATS modules online yet. It looks like people are more likely to sell me an aftermarket PCM that doesn't require PATS. That's appealing, but the schematic seems to say that the ignition interrupt goes through the PATS module, so I don't see how replacing the PCM would fix that.
Is there any other solution to this madness?
Evidence seemed to be pointing to a failed PATS module. My local mechanic told me they couldn't help with that, since it was likely going to require the Dealer Service Card, a special dealer-only tool for resetting/reprogramming the antitheft system.
So I got the truck towed across the river to the local Mazda dealer (since it's technically a Mazda) and have been waiting a few days for them to get to it.
Today the guy from Mazda Service have confirmed that the antitheft system is faulty. They told me that their procedures tell them to first try replacing the transceiver ring around the ignition switch, and then replace the PATS module if that doesn't work.
... but they can't get either of those parts any more! They are no longer manufactured!
Is my truck just scrap metal now? Even though there's nothing mechanically wrong with it? Because the dealer can't fix this only-the-dealer-can-fix-it antitheft problem? Jeez.
I have found some used transceiver rings online, but there seem to be various models of them & I'm not certain how to confirm it'll fit my Ranger.
I have not found any used PATS modules online yet. It looks like people are more likely to sell me an aftermarket PCM that doesn't require PATS. That's appealing, but the schematic seems to say that the ignition interrupt goes through the PATS module, so I don't see how replacing the PCM would fix that.
Is there any other solution to this madness?
