I've a 2004 F150, and last weekend I noticed that small black ants had gotten inside the truck. The truck only sat for 6 days, and there was no food in the truck.
The ants were in the back seat, along the kick panel, inside the underdash fuse box and inside the under hood fuse box. The theft button is flashing fast and the miles in the odometer are now dashes.

I sprayed the ants, they are gone.

Has anyone ever had this happen or heard of this??
Any suggestions on where to go first?? When I get off work today I am going to test all the fuses to make sure they are good, other than that...I am at a loss.
any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
"stuck at home"

 

You do not have a PATS problem, you have a power supply problem for the cluster or the PCM or both.

Was it raining immediately before or during the period when the ants moved in?

 

Doesn't sound like a pats issue. But I do have experience with ants getting in truck on the dash etc., About 2 yrs ago I think I got them from the parking garage at work and spraying won't work, it's temporary fix. I posted on one of the Ford forums and some said to get 3 pack of raid fogger. Trust me! He said if u have garage put the vehicle inside with the windows up.
Now the good stuff! Start on the inside and place one on the arm rest on a plate or etc, and let it rip, close the door. No there will be no staining. Put the 2nd one under the truck pointing up and the 3 Rd in the bed.
I let them go til they were done opened the garage, put the windows down to air out. After airing out for a lil I couldn't smell anything and have other seen a bug at all. Good luck

 

It had not rained, however I parked it in a new location (approx 6 feet) but that area of the lawn does get frequent watering.

 

So far t h E ants haven't been back. But if they do....thanks!!

 

If the watering included getting the driver's side of the windshield wet, it's probably leaking and getting down into the fusebox and gem module. Of course, ants like wet or damp places and they might be refuges from a flooded lawn.

Start by checking the fuses that run the PCM and the cluster. Observe the check engine light at initial key on. If it doesn't come on, the PCM isn't getting power. Swap the PCM power relay with a compatible non-critical relay and see what you find.

 

I just want to say a very huge thank you!!!
swapping the relay saved me sooooo much of a headache. All of the fuses were good, so I did like you said.
\
Turned out to be the PCM relay, I swapped it with the fuel pump relay and got the odometer working and the theft light out.

Went to local auto parts store and picked up a relay for $12 bucks!!
she's alive and running!
Thanks again projectSHO89

 

Woohoo!!!