Actually I pulled the entire dash and replaced the heater core and while I did that I replaced my instrument cluster with a used lightning one so I could get my boost gauge in the dash.

I have 73K on the truck but now it reads 130K which I expected. But the THEFT light is flashing.

I'm guessing that it's not seeing something it was used to seeing on the old truck.

Any ideas on how to get around this? I read something about how a dealer can reprogram the cluster to match the truck. Maybe that's what I need?

Thanks

 

Pics of the process just for fun.

 

And back together.

 

yes it is the pats. passive ani theft bull crap. if you want to use that cluster you need to call your tuner and get them to shut of the pats.

 

Or tow it to the dealer to have the PATS system re-programmed.

You can't just swap out a cluster on this era of Ford trucks without also addressing PATS since the cluster is part of the anti-theft system.

 

Yea that was my next question, can a ford dealer do it. I know the dealer well. I'm going to check with them first.

 

Are they going to be able to bring the mileage back to what it is or are you stuck with the 130k

 

You need to get the mileage back, I believe that is illegal if you change a cluster and do not fix the odometer

 

I thought the cluster odometer was just a display, that the memory was someplace else.
By the way, nice work getting it all back together!!

 

Well this sucks. Troyer says he can't bypass it. Ford says I will need to get a new ignition since my truck didn't origninaly come with the PATS system. Oh and new keys with the chip in them.

Guess I'll just go back to the stock cluster. What BS. There has to be a way to bypass this darn thing!

 

Maybe but I don't really care. I doubt I'll ever sell this truck.

 

I don't know. Maybe I could get a new ignition system from a junk yard at a reasonable price then have it programmed.

 

If you have the fat plastic base on your key it has PATS on it.

BTW you took off way too much just to get the cluster out of there. Unless im missing where you did something else.

 

You mean you don't pull the entire dash to replace the cluster! lol

Thanks for the info on the keys. Maybe I do have the PATS system. I was thinking a chip kind of like what GM did a few years back.

Maybe this isn't as bad as I"m thinking.

I'm checking again with my guy at Ford.

 

I thought All 03 f150's came with pats?