Ford Anti-Theft System (PATS) - OUCH!

[Fishinguy40]

Learned a valuable and expensive lesson.

 

Car is a 2006 Mercury Milan.  I assume all newer Fords (after 1999) use Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS).

 

I had an appointment in St Paul earlier this week.  When I came out to the parking lot the car would not start.  Anti-theft light was blinking fast.  Long story short.....Had car towed to a Ford dealer.  Turns out the key was bad not the car.  Key has a microchip in it that communicates to a transponder that is in the steering column.  If I had someone come pick me up with the spare key, I could have driven away and saved $615.  Spare key was good.  It cost me $125 for the tow, which I will submit to my insurance, and $490 at the dealer for diagnosis, labor, new key and programming of keys.

If you ever have a similar issue, try using the spare key before doing anything else.  It will still cost to replace the bad key and programming of both keys but I'm sure it can be done for a lot cheaper than $490 that the dealer charged!

 

[RebelSS]

OUCH!!!!    I'll keep that in mind....isn't that ridiculous, though?!

[Fishinguy40]

I decided to wait until tomorrow to pick up the car so I can do it during business hours when the service manager is there.  The more I think about it the more it angers me.  $500 for a new key is what I'm basically paying for.

 

I know some will say diagnosis and labor but I knew it was the anti theft system when I brought it in.  I cant imagine the tech spent much time diagnosing.  I don't know how much a new new key costs or how long it takes to program but $500 seems outrageous.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Fishinguy40

[ZachD]

I lost one of my keys temporarily If I remember correctly I think the ford dealership wanted 200 for the laser cut key and programing.

Luckily I found the other key and bought an aftermarket fob had a locksmith cut it and programmed it myself. I couldn't do the programing myself before because my car needs both key fobs that came with the car to self program.