I have a 2003 Explorer XLT 4x4 4.0 as my second vehicle now...picked it up a couple months ago; it's got 321K miles on it. Been running pretty strong.
Over this past weekend, I swapped out the battery because the one that was in there was the wrong size. I put a DieHard Gold of the correct size in it and all has been well.
Until tonight.
I got home from work and shut the truck off, and everything died. The autolamps went off instantly, I couldn't operate the power locks, nothing. I tried to turn the key but nothing happened except for the airbag light on the dash dimly lighting. Then I noticed the anti-theft light on the dash was now solid red rather than it's normal blinking red.
I figured I was screwed so I got the ice scraper out and started clearing the snow off my Mustang. Once I was finished with that (took about 10 minutes), I look back at the Explorer and the theft light is blinking normally again. I open the door and heard a clicking, like morse code, coming from under the dash. The theft light blinked in sync with the clicking. I tried to start it again but nothing again...and the theft light went back to solid red.
I've seen similar threads on Explorer forums outlining similar issues, but can't find this exact issue. Others have mentioned trying a second key to see if it'll start but I don't have a second key. And further, they've gone on to say that the PATS system had to be reprogrammed.
Please help! I'm hoping to avoid driving the GT in this nasty weather tomorrow...
Over this past weekend, I swapped out the battery because the one that was in there was the wrong size. I put a DieHard Gold of the correct size in it and all has been well.
Until tonight.
I got home from work and shut the truck off, and everything died. The autolamps went off instantly, I couldn't operate the power locks, nothing. I tried to turn the key but nothing happened except for the airbag light on the dash dimly lighting. Then I noticed the anti-theft light on the dash was now solid red rather than it's normal blinking red.
I figured I was screwed so I got the ice scraper out and started clearing the snow off my Mustang. Once I was finished with that (took about 10 minutes), I look back at the Explorer and the theft light is blinking normally again. I open the door and heard a clicking, like morse code, coming from under the dash. The theft light blinked in sync with the clicking. I tried to start it again but nothing again...and the theft light went back to solid red.
I've seen similar threads on Explorer forums outlining similar issues, but can't find this exact issue. Others have mentioned trying a second key to see if it'll start but I don't have a second key. And further, they've gone on to say that the PATS system had to be reprogrammed.
Please help! I'm hoping to avoid driving the GT in this nasty weather tomorrow...