i jumped my car yesterday and all was good
get up this moring, do the dishes, and go outside to drive a bit before the day starts. i open the door, sit down, here some clicking noises. i get out, and close the door, and return inside the house.
after a bit, i go back to see if i can locate the direction it comes from... its from around the driver's side fuse box. i get out, close the door, and return inside the house. thinking.
after some more time ( a few minutes ) i go back out, trying to here the clicking outside the car. i dont. so i open the door and theres the clicking again. i get inside and shut the door, it turns off.
i open the door from the inside, and the clicking returns. i close again, clicking stops, and open again, clicking resumes. i look for the switch that tells the computer that no doors are open, and press that in, but that doesnt stop the clicking. so maybe the return signal is somewhere that also depends on the door being closed. i get out, close the door, and return to the house.
i do a little searching with google, and nothing shows up related to my issue.
i go back outside, with the intent to start the car. i watch the theft light, noticing that thats the only indicator on ( normal flashing ). i put the key in the ignition, the flashing goes to steady for 3 seconds ( normal behavior as well ) and then flashes rapidly. this is only at the run position, havent gotten to the start position yet. so i get out, close the door, and return to the house.
i do some more research on the quick flashing, and come across an article that references the 2000 mustang gt owner's manual, and change the link to the 1999, or so i hoped, and it works. loading the page, i see its just whats in my glove box, so i just continue to read on. i look for something in the index related to anti-theft, and found it. looked in the book, on page 7, finding a forwarding paragraph to the controls and features section. browsing that, i come across a paragraph that says something to the effect of " if "theft" is blinking rapidly, get to a service center immediately" ... that didnt sound good, so i call local ford dealership ( jones ford ) and jones' service department isnt open until tuesday. so im outta luck for servicing.
after that call, i grab a recently purchased code reader, and go back to the car. i open the door ( clicking ensues ) and do what is necessary to get the codes, but upon plugging it in to the port, the clicking stops.
.... weird
so i attempt to get some codes, but the scanner just did its " pocket " " scan " thingy, which happens when it gets plugged in. that just lets you know that it is ready for you to put the key/ignition in the run position. upon doing so, my "theft" light goes out, the scanner display goes blank ( normal ) and no dash lights of any kind, no bells either ( as well as all the other times, there were no bells when i had the key in the ignition with the door open ). so im like crap, now what?
i press the read button, it doesnt move an asterik across the led display like it should. so somethings wrong with the computer.
recalling what i was reading about in the online owner's manual, i thought that maybe since the car was electrically dead for so long, the car forgot that my key is the key to start the car. makes sense.
until i remembered that the computer is in control of starting the car, and it started last night when i jumped it.... and last night i also ( after a time ) restarted the car twice, just to see if the battery held a charge the alternator was throwing at it. it started up both times nicely.
so that means the car ( at least last night it ) recognized the securilock coded key of mine... but now this morning it doesnt. so that means reprogramming the key is out of the question, since i dont have another key to work with...
service opens tuesday, and i cant wait that long imp
any ideas?
get up this moring, do the dishes, and go outside to drive a bit before the day starts. i open the door, sit down, here some clicking noises. i get out, and close the door, and return inside the house.
after a bit, i go back to see if i can locate the direction it comes from... its from around the driver's side fuse box. i get out, close the door, and return inside the house. thinking.
after some more time ( a few minutes ) i go back out, trying to here the clicking outside the car. i dont. so i open the door and theres the clicking again. i get inside and shut the door, it turns off.
i open the door from the inside, and the clicking returns. i close again, clicking stops, and open again, clicking resumes. i look for the switch that tells the computer that no doors are open, and press that in, but that doesnt stop the clicking. so maybe the return signal is somewhere that also depends on the door being closed. i get out, close the door, and return to the house.
i do a little searching with google, and nothing shows up related to my issue.
i go back outside, with the intent to start the car. i watch the theft light, noticing that thats the only indicator on ( normal flashing ). i put the key in the ignition, the flashing goes to steady for 3 seconds ( normal behavior as well ) and then flashes rapidly. this is only at the run position, havent gotten to the start position yet. so i get out, close the door, and return to the house.
i do some more research on the quick flashing, and come across an article that references the 2000 mustang gt owner's manual, and change the link to the 1999, or so i hoped, and it works. loading the page, i see its just whats in my glove box, so i just continue to read on. i look for something in the index related to anti-theft, and found it. looked in the book, on page 7, finding a forwarding paragraph to the controls and features section. browsing that, i come across a paragraph that says something to the effect of " if "theft" is blinking rapidly, get to a service center immediately" ... that didnt sound good, so i call local ford dealership ( jones ford ) and jones' service department isnt open until tuesday. so im outta luck for servicing.
after that call, i grab a recently purchased code reader, and go back to the car. i open the door ( clicking ensues ) and do what is necessary to get the codes, but upon plugging it in to the port, the clicking stops.
.... weird
so i attempt to get some codes, but the scanner just did its " pocket " " scan " thingy, which happens when it gets plugged in. that just lets you know that it is ready for you to put the key/ignition in the run position. upon doing so, my "theft" light goes out, the scanner display goes blank ( normal ) and no dash lights of any kind, no bells either ( as well as all the other times, there were no bells when i had the key in the ignition with the door open ). so im like crap, now what?
i press the read button, it doesnt move an asterik across the led display like it should. so somethings wrong with the computer.
recalling what i was reading about in the online owner's manual, i thought that maybe since the car was electrically dead for so long, the car forgot that my key is the key to start the car. makes sense.
until i remembered that the computer is in control of starting the car, and it started last night when i jumped it.... and last night i also ( after a time ) restarted the car twice, just to see if the battery held a charge the alternator was throwing at it. it started up both times nicely.
so that means the car ( at least last night it ) recognized the securilock coded key of mine... but now this morning it doesnt. so that means reprogramming the key is out of the question, since i dont have another key to work with...
service opens tuesday, and i cant wait that long imp
any ideas?