I was talking with labman1014 about a way to get his Fusion key to work in his Exploder and this is what I learned about the keys with our trucks PATs system.
I found that I was able to start my truck with a non pats key just a plain old steel key. But I did have to hold the bow of a pats key over the bow of the steel key to get it started. After the truck was started I moved the pats key away and it still ran, so I took it for a short drive and it drove without any problem. I also have a remote starter and decided to try one more thing. After starting the truck with the remote starter I inserted the steel (non pats) key in and turned it to run without holding the pats key up to it. It worked as well.
So the useless information from my findings is once the truck is started the pats part of the key does nothing from what I can tell.

 

darn not so good for people that think it is going to keep it from getting stolen. but. does it have to be the key for your truck with pats to get it started or can it be any ford key with pats held above it that will work.

 

Yep.

 

It also depends on the remote start system. Some systems require you lose a key in the brain of the alarm and some dont....

 

I don't think it really matters if you use a key with the remote starter or not. My first test was not using the remote start. I just started it with a key. I think the pats is using magnetism at the key hole to read the key and that's how it picked up the signal from the other key (pats key) I held up to the steel key to start it. It's the pats bypass module that the key goes in, If I'm not mistaken the system ford uses is the one that doesn't require a key.

 

The technology is actually based on RFID (radio frequency identification). You can read more about it here: http://media.ford.com/article_displa...rticle_id=2620

The reason the vehicle starts with the non-chipped key in the ignition and the chipped key held nearby is because the chipped key is close enough to be activated and return the correct code.

 

That makes better since than magnetism. I was just thinking that because of it reading the key when it was close enough, thinking it was reading a magnetic field.

 

Interesting post... I wonder if this means that labman's keys won't work by themselves?

 

mine works..i have one programed for my f150 and love it...........i just cant get it for the explorer...i am heading to the dealer in the am to see if they can help.......it is just a program issue with the explorer...

 

Cool. That's good news. Looking forward to trying this one out...

 

well the verdict is in.............the fusion key WILL work on our 04+ f150s.......it WILL NOT for on my wifes 06 explorer.......dirrerent chips......oh well at least we know now..............

 

whitecrystal1,

1. you are correct in the testing you did ( I know big shock, you already knew this ) with the PATS function only being part of start up.

The PATS transponder reads the RFID tag on the key. The HEC contains the programmed RFID tags, and compares the list against the key used.

If there is a match, the HEC sends a message over the SCP network to the PCM, to enable the start function. Without the message on the SCP network, the truck acts like the Fuel Inertia switch is triggered, and crank no start ( with the addition of the theft light, or the illuminated ICON on the instrument cluster showing why the crank no start ).

Once the truck has started, by design PATS is out of the loop.

2. The remote start you have, which mfgr is it ?
The Ford branded & CA series use the PATS bypass module, which is a programmed RFID that is only energized when the RMST is used, else it is dead ( at least that is the way I read it ). The other brands that use the progrmamed key, with the key part cut off, the RFID is close enough to the PATS transducer / antenna, that it might be working al the time, thus the reason a non PATS key worked in your truck.
If you have a CA or Ford branded system, that answers the part about the energizing the RFID tag upon triggering the RMST fob ( which is programmed ), is out the window.

Ford does make note that use of another mfgr RMST kit might not be PATS compatiable, but read one way makes it sound like the truck won't start, but using the info above, make the text seem as if it disables the PATS function, and that is what Ford was refering to as far as not PATS compatiable. ??

One example of the Ford disclaimer on non Ford RMST :

 

Viper
The steel key didn't work by it's self I had to hold a pats key over it to make it work. It was a little shocking to me that the truck didn't cut out when I moved it away. One thing that also tells me thinking about it more, is that if I or anyone of us has our truck running from the remote starter and a thief gets in the truck and breaks the ignition, he can drive off with it without any key As long as it's not turned off it will run.

 

Think of an alarm on the truck. Once it is turned off ( i.e Fob ) the truck starts and runs normal. Same concept.

I guess if you have the brake light wire not hooked up ( where you press the brake light and it dies ) and can pull the ign switch, and get the key cylinder into the run postion, I can't think of anything else that is needed. So this would require a bad install to happen, and someone good with the ign switch wiring to get all the hot in run postions together. ?? Just thinking out loud about it.

 

My brake light wire is hooked up and it does kill it if pressed. Unless the ignition is in the run position switch first. Then it just goes out of remote start mode and goes to run mode so it can be driven. It's really the same thing as starting it like I did with the steel key with the help of the pats key.