2009 Ford Focus No Start

[Dave]

Neighbor girl at college has this car and her anti theft light is blinking and car won't start. Watched a tube video showing it could be the ground wire to the bracket to the right rear of the battery. Anything else she could check?

[JOHNBIGDOG]

If the anti theft light is blinking the Passive Anti Theft System(PATS) system is preventing the vehicle from starting. This can be caused by a bad ignition key, PATS transceiver, maybe aftermarket remote start system or maybe a wire concern.

Before you chase anything, try starting the car with a different key. If the car starts with that key, you know the other key is bad. Yes they can go bad. If the car does not start with the two keys then you have a hard fault with the pats system. Look for an aftermarket remote start or something tapped into the wires that go to the PATS transciever. (This is a little ring that goes around the ignition lock cyclinder behind the steering columb cover) if a broken wire is found repair it, if a aftermarket remote start is found remove it. Try again.

If a second key is not available you are S.O.L and need to bring the car somewhere to get possibly two new keys cut and programmed. (Like a dealership) if they can't get get they keys to program, pretty sure they can figure out the problem quickly.

On a side note. With ford vehicles equipped with a regular ignition key that is pats equipped, you should always keep 3 keys around. Why? If you looked one you can use the other two to program a 3rd without having to go to the dealer. Also you the owner can program new key fibs to the car without dealer intervention.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

I forgot to mention that the ground you mentioned is not likely, as a bad ground would be causing many other issues, but cleaning it up and making sure its tight will never hurt.

Aging, if the pats light is flashing very quickly when you try to start the car, the PATS is preventing the car from starting, it is not a starter concern, yet.

Some day ill get good at this explaining thing.

[Dave]

She got it started. She told my son it was something with negative battery post and that ground post/cable corrosion (don't know which as they cleaned both) but, will let you know when I hear for sure from her folks.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I forgot to mention that the ground you mentioned is not likely, as a bad ground would be causing many other issues, but cleaning it up and making sure its tight will never hurt.

Aging, if the pats light is flashing very quickly when you try to start the car, the PATS is preventing the car from starting, it is not a starter concern, yet.

Some day ill get good at this explaining thing.

Next time you get the chance to play under the hood of a focus remove the very small wire from the negative battery post. It's a good life lesson you will never forget once you do it on accident while replacing the battery cables.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

Never to old to learn something new. Sounds like you have found this out first hand Jeremy?

Probably won't be under the hood of a car in a while with the new job.