Lost keys, what to do? 2000 ford windstar

JeffP1167

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
2,727
Location
Yucaipa, CA.
Lost my keys for this thing, does anyone know if this thing would have had a chip related to it's key, I kinda think it only had one key for the doors and ignition but always used the remote to unlock it so can't say for sure if the ignition key would have opened the doors.

Can ford make a key from it's VIN number at all?
 
Thanks anyways, I called ford and guess it has PATS which is kinda like VATS. Same general electronic system, same general PITA
 
A brick will do the trick no?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I can get into it without a key and ford can cut a key to unlock it with the VIN # but guess they have to program the PATS and thats like 175 bucks.
 
Well, I got lucky and ford entered the vin # today for me and they were able to pull a key code and they cut a key and it works perfectly on my van. I just have to have it towed to ford on monday and have the key and remote programmed so it will start.

If you own a 99-up ford a word of caution, always never have less then two keys for one of these cars or you can have one hell of a large bill to get it running again. There is no way to trick PATS it is nothing like a GM vats system.

For ford to do it be prepared with proof of ownership of the vehicle, photo ID, then you have to fill out some paperwork as to why you are requesting a key code and the ford dealership will photo-copy everything before the give you that code. Currently ford's cut off year is 2001 to get a code, mine is a 2000 and I just got lucky that a code came up for it or this would have costed me about 200.00 to have a locksmith come out just to make a key that opens it and then still have the programming fee's through ford and tow bills.

So far for losing my keys this has costed me 150.00 for a pats key, remote and one tow home. Monday I expect to have to pay another 75.00 for a tow to ford and another 135.00 for programming fee's.

I believe newer GM's also use this system so hope you all learn something from my mishap and never lose your keys.
 
Okay so here is the total bill for this lost key

100.00 tow from work to my house

15.00 for ford to pull a code and cut a dummy key to see if it would work on the van

85.00 for the remote to disarm alarm

65.00 tow from my house to ford dealership

185.00 two pats keys and to reprogram the system


Could have been much more if I had to have a locksmith come and make a key for the car. They quoted me 150.00 to 200.00 just for that.

If you have 2 pats keys you can program another yourself but if you only have 1 key ford needs to program a second, I was going to have a second done next month so I had a spare LOL ....

Hope this bill I paid is a good reminder for you. Don't let yourself get down to one key or lose it.
 
The brick would have been cheaper :)

100.00 tow from work to my house

15.00 for ford to pull a code and cut a dummy key to see if it would work on the van

85.00 for the remote to disarm alarm

65.00 tow from my house to ford dealership

185.00 two pats keys and to reprogram the system


Negative that would have added another 100.00 to repair broken window !!!!!!!!!!
 
My '87 vette had a 'chip' in it, one of the very first things I did....and so when the car was sold, in went the stock chip.....emissions and VATS and all that crap....

sold the chip to another guy down here, years ago....

I think to remove any and all factory crap, long as you don't have to pass annual 'safety-emissions' tests.....

as it has failed, I have removed all the shifter interlock stuff off the '99 Escort, out of the Miata, and I bypass all of that I can in every car I have had, for years now....my '72 vette never had much of that to start with, another reason I bought a chrome shark....that and the end plastics on all cars today eventually sag and crack and one shot they are damaged....

:crutches::stirpot:
 
My '87 vette had a 'chip' in it, one of the very first things I did....and so when the car was sold, in went the stock chip.....emissions and VATS and all that crap....

sold the chip to another guy down here, years ago....

I think to remove any and all factory crap, long as you don't have to pass annual 'safety-emissions' tests.....

as it has failed, I have removed all the shifter interlock stuff off the '99 Escort, out of the Miata, and I bypass all of that I can in every car I have had, for years now....my '72 vette never had much of that to start with, another reason I bought a chrome shark....that and the end plastics on all cars today eventually sag and crack and one shot they are damaged....

:crutches::stirpot:

Ford's PATS is nothing like GM's VATS though. I asked about bypassing it and nobody knew of anything that could be done. VATS uses contacts for the chip to be read. PATS is a transponder/receiver, ford guaranteed me even if the opriginal key was found it couldn't start the van again because they somehow changed the code. Aside from what I was told I don't know exactly how pats is able to have it's codes changed but it doesn't seem limited to 15 codes like vats.

Maybe someone here can tell us how pats can be fooled
 
My '87 vette had a 'chip' in it, one of the very first things I did....and so when the car was sold, in went the stock chip.....emissions and VATS and all that crap....

sold the chip to another guy down here, years ago....

I think to remove any and all factory crap, long as you don't have to pass annual 'safety-emissions' tests.....

as it has failed, I have removed all the shifter interlock stuff off the '99 Escort, out of the Miata, and I bypass all of that I can in every car I have had, for years now....my '72 vette never had much of that to start with, another reason I bought a chrome shark....that and the end plastics on all cars today eventually sag and crack and one shot they are damaged....

:crutches::stirpot:

Ford's PATS is nothing like GM's VATS though. I asked about bypassing it and nobody knew of anything that could be done. VATS uses contacts for the chip to be read. PATS is a transponder/receiver, ford guaranteed me even if the opriginal key was found it couldn't start the van again because they somehow changed the code. Aside from what I was told I don't know exactly how pats is able to have it's codes changed but it doesn't seem limited to 15 codes like vats.

Maybe someone here can tell us how pats can be fooled

A quick Google:
Four ways to do it, from best to worst:

1. Go to any Directed Electronics (DEI) dealer and pick up DEI's 555F. It will bypass PATS during remote start, and you don't have to give up any of your keys. It comes with instructions. When programming the 555F to your car, you need TWO working Ford keys. www.directed.com

2. Buy any of the universal bypass modules out there. DEI 555U, Audiovox AS-TCBM, et cetera. You will need to permanently install one of your Ford keys into the universal module, and those keys usually aren't cheap.

3. You can make your own hand-made 555U with a relay and some scrap wire, but it can be hard for a novice installer to get this to work properly.

4. Pry the little plastic plug out of your key head; the PATS capsule will fall out. Glue the capsule to the ignition cylinder. (You'll have to experiment to find a spot that will work.) You'll also have to remove the capsules from all your spare keys, since the car won't start if it sees two capsules at once. This method is cheap and easy, but your car is unprotected against theft. And if that capsule comes unglued, the car won't start, not even with the key.
 
I dunno, I"m or ornery old cheep bastard, I would find a way around it just to beat HELL if you know what I mean.....being retarrred I can do that shit....

:crutches::devil:
 
My '87 vette had a 'chip' in it, one of the very first things I did....and so when the car was sold, in went the stock chip.....emissions and VATS and all that crap....

sold the chip to another guy down here, years ago....

I think to remove any and all factory crap, long as you don't have to pass annual 'safety-emissions' tests.....

as it has failed, I have removed all the shifter interlock stuff off the '99 Escort, out of the Miata, and I bypass all of that I can in every car I have had, for years now....my '72 vette never had much of that to start with, another reason I bought a chrome shark....that and the end plastics on all cars today eventually sag and crack and one shot they are damaged....

:crutches::stirpot:

Ford's PATS is nothing like GM's VATS though. I asked about bypassing it and nobody knew of anything that could be done. VATS uses contacts for the chip to be read. PATS is a transponder/receiver, ford guaranteed me even if the opriginal key was found it couldn't start the van again because they somehow changed the code. Aside from what I was told I don't know exactly how pats is able to have it's codes changed but it doesn't seem limited to 15 codes like vats.

Maybe someone here can tell us how pats can be fooled

A quick Google:
Four ways to do it, from best to worst:

1. Go to any Directed Electronics (DEI) dealer and pick up DEI's 555F. It will bypass PATS during remote start, and you don't have to give up any of your keys. It comes with instructions. When programming the 555F to your car, you need TWO working Ford keys. www.directed.com

2. Buy any of the universal bypass modules out there. DEI 555U, Audiovox AS-TCBM, et cetera. You will need to permanently install one of your Ford keys into the universal module, and those keys usually aren't cheap.

3. You can make your own hand-made 555U with a relay and some scrap wire, but it can be hard for a novice installer to get this to work properly.

4. Pry the little plastic plug out of your key head; the PATS capsule will fall out. Glue the capsule to the ignition cylinder. (You'll have to experiment to find a spot that will work.) You'll also have to remove the capsules from all your spare keys, since the car won't start if it sees two capsules at once. This method is cheap and easy, but your car is unprotected against theft. And if that capsule comes unglued, the car won't start, not even with the key.

Ok so it can be fooled "if you have 2 working key" bypassing is yes a posibility when you have those 2 keys ... I had none so for me 90 for 2 keys and programming was my only choice.
 
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