Dash illumination lights flash continuous when door unlocked or key turned on and no crank after PO replaced battery.

[Haydenh]

Hello all,

After searching the forum for the last couple of days and looking at every youtube video I could find, I'm absolutely stumped. I'm a Ford guy but mainly in the older truck realm and traded an F150 for my 2006 V6. The previous owner that I got it from had replaced a bad battery and when he tried to get it to start up again, it would turn on all the electronics, but not crank over at all. He replaced starters and relays (I believe that's what he said), but the issue still persists. I'll link a couple of youtube clips I uploaded so y'all can see what I'm talking about.

Videos are here and here.

I've tried resetting things like you're supposed to after a battery swap and I still have the same issue. I'm thinking its some sort of immobilizer type thing since everything else works fine (fuel pump, windows, all electronics) but seems like it just wont engage and the flashing gauge backlighting and the external hazards (despite no indicator lights for the turn signals flashing). I'm trying to avoid the dealership but I might have to have it towed over to pay out the nose if I can't figure it out.

Car has only one key and no fob so I'm going to go get a cheap fob from the locksmith today to see if just unlocking it remotely will reset something in it and allow it to start.

Anyone have any ideas or have run into this before? Anti-theft light only flashes once every 2 seconds or so, so I don't know that its purely PATS causing the issue or something more.

 

[86GT351]

It sounds like the PATS system has been activated.

 

[Haydenh]

It sounds like the PATS system has been activated.

It was definitely security related but I didn't get the flashing PATS on the dash, just the normal "flash every two seconds" thing. I did get that part sorted out at least and solved the no crank issue with just a new key fob. Reprogrammed it to the car and then I could get it to crank. Unfortunately now, it just cranks and cranks but no start... I did pull a plug to ground out and verify spark and it looks like I have spark. Could smell and feel fuel on the plug too. Next on the list is a full compression check and that's where I'm worried I'm going to get bit. I'll try to get a scanner on the computer too to see if there are any data codes. Guy I traded it from was driving it around a bit before hand so IDK what would have changed. It does sound like a decent amount of engine noise when I'm cranking it so I'm worried the timing is out or that I've got a knock somewhere.

I'll have to look at how difficult a rebuild is versus a used 4.0 from another mustang or something else that'll fit. Otherwise, I'll sell it and buy something that runs for a change haha