No, other than the aftermarket radio completely stock. I purchased the truck 4 months ago and the only thing that was done to the truck was a trailer brake. I installed an aftermarket radio. This problem showed up a few weeks later so that is why I am looking at it. I got the radio and install kit from Crutchfield so it was very straight forward. I did include an adapter for the steering wheel controls. I know it is a long shot but maybe it is causing the problem. My plan is to unplug all of it and see if there is a difference. I have been able to duplicate the problem pretty well. I drive about 4 Miles and pull into a parking lot. Shut it off and no start for 10 - 15 minutes. Happens to be right in front of an Advanced auto. I am sure they are wondering why the same truck shows up three times a week sits for 10 minutes and no one ever comes in

 

OK folks, I found the problem and I am still having a hard time believing what it was. I was able to reproduce my no start about 95% of the time by driving about 3 miles and stopping. I could only do it about 2 times a day because the truck needed to sit for a few hours in between. Turns out I had purchased a wireless phone charger that clips to a vent. I had used it in my car and really liked it so I bought one for the truck. My new radio has Blue tooth so I play music and it keeps the phone charged.

While playing with the problem when the truck would not start I would take the phone out of the cradle and text my wife. Every time the truck start right after. About the third time this happened I realized the charger might be the problem. So I have reproduced several times and every time if I take the phone out or I unplug the charger the truck starts. I moved the charger over to the passenger side vent and I don't have a problem anymore.

The vent is pretty close to the key in the steering column so it must be interfering with the signal from the key. As far as needing to drive a couple miles the phone get pretty warm when charging and maybe it produces more of a signal when warm. Totally a guess on my part.

I attached a picture of the charger,



I wanted to share in case anyone else ever has this problem. I found it virtually by accident. I could easily see someone taking this to the dealer multiple times and paying a lot of money while they swap out parts. This truck is my spare vehicle so I could take the time to find the problem.

Gary

 

Good find! Chalk up another mysterious fault to electrical noise interference from cheap electronic devices imported from far, far away. Yours is the first I've seen that affected the PATS system but it does make perfect sense in retrospect. Have to add checking for such devices to future similar posts. It is probably the wireless charging aspect that is to blame since that feature uses relatively high power electromagnetic fields to charge which would be expected to also be picked up by the PATS transceiver which, in your configuration, is very close to the source.

I had a cell charger that would trigger the TPMS light on my Mariner about 30 minutes into my commute almost every day. It ended up in the e-waste box for a recycling event.

 

Many many years ago I had a CB radio that would disengage my aftermarket cruise control whenever I keyed the mic.

 

if thats a induction charger that will put out one heck of a EM field which will possibly interfear with some frequencies i know i have an induction charger for my phone and if i have it anywhere near my A C wifi laptops it has issues with communicating.

 

I'm just getting back on the Forum so I may be a little late on your issue. I just traded my 2013 Screw 4x4 the other day. But, I had a similar issue as yours. Turn the ignition switch and "nothing". Turn it several times and finally it caught - everything else was powered. Took it to the dealer, still under warranty then, and the service advisor told me that Ford has historically had problems with the ignition switch in the column. They changed out that original ignition switch and no problems for the duration of my ownership. Makes you wonder why, if the manufacturer knows they have issues with a supplier why they don't change to another supplier??? Oh, well...hope this helps

 

Cost. Period. They save so much on the unit, that it wouldn't make sense to install a better unit. Ford used the same multifunction switches for over a decade. Some went bad under warranty. They replaced it. But most made it past warranty. Then the owner paid to replace it. All of those parts come from China & Korea. Sometimes you get lucky. On my old Explorer, the dealer paid for 3 switches under warranty. 3rd one lasted 17 years. Friend of mine had a Tempo, and went through 5 of those switches.