Will not start Anti-theft system?

INOMYDES10E

MEMBER
2003 FORD F-150
5.4L
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
16,000 MILES

I cannot find my keys to my truck listed above Lariat. When we bought it from the individual, they had already lost the key fob, so we only had a chip key to begin with. Now I can't find it and I was possibly thinking someone stole it in order to try and steal my truck. So being that the truck has numbers on the door where I know the code to get inside the door and to lock the truck up, I just had someone to take the ignition switch out in the process they misplaced or broke a piece that goes behind the ignition lock cylinder which I believe is in part the steering column. So, I got a used steering column and kept the black transponder connection from my old steering column and hooked it to that steering column and I bought transponder keys from AutoZone. The problem is, when I try to start the truck, it gives the error code one. I looked that up and it states that I have the wrong key. So, the truck has not been able to start. I was able to find paperwork with a code that says IGN and also on the actual ignition switch cylinder that was taking off originally, which is the dealer one. It also has numbers on it. My question is, how can I either take away the anti-theft system all together in order to start the truck or somehow is there a way that the transponder keys that I bought will start it. It turns but it will not say anything just like clicks. Please help.

1 Reply

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,495 POSTS

You need to have a locksmith or dealership follow the lost all keys procedure and then they can program in the replacement keys to make it all work again. The way the system works is by reading the code in the key and comparing that to the stored codes in the anti-theft module. If the codes match it will start the fuel pump and ignition system and the truck runs. If the key(s) don't match it shuts them down and it will not run. The way Ford designed the system there is no way to remove it or bypass it so that isn't an option. Instead, they will take the replacement keys you have and erase the old keys, then they can get the system to read the new keys into memory. As you kept the old key reader module, that is at least one less item that will need to be added to the anti-theft programming.