• Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

Electrical problem? - Not PATS (LONG)

  • Thread starter Thread starter MustangDanny
  • Start date Start date Dec 8, 2004

MustangDanny

Founding Member
May 8, 2001
366
0
16
Lexington, NC
Dec 8, 2004
#1
  • Dec 8, 2004
  • #1
I need help! Let me start from the beginning. I will try to include all relavent information. A few months ago I had to change my battery (original battery just got weak and died). After getting stranded because the car wouldn't crank, I got a jump and went to buy another battery. The problems seemed to have started after that... although it may very well not be realted to the battery issue at all. That may be totally a coincidence. Anyways, I think the first time what happened is I was driving on the interstate with the cruise control on a the car suddenly jerked and came off of the cruise control. It just happen for a split second so I just thought, maybe a mis fire and planned on checking the plugs, coils, etc. Well a few days later I go to start the car and it would crank all day long but not fire up. The 'THEFT' light on the dash blinked. I also heard a buzzing sound coming fro munder the hood. I tracked it down to a small box with a harness plugged into it in the front passenger fender. That first time I just figured it was maybe the security system fouling up on me because I had recently changed the battery. So I unpluged the negative terminal and tried to reset the system. Worked that time.

Well to make the long story a bit shorter, the jerks while driving became more frequent. It seems like the ignition cuts off for a second and the car tries to die (if it's in gear and moving, it fires right back up because the clutch is engaged). But last week I got stranded. That THEFT light was blinking and the car wouild crank but not fire up and that buzzing in the passenger, front fender was singing away.

I searched all the threads on here and came to the conclusion that it was my PATS key. I had only one key and it was an aftermarket key (STRATTEC). I bought the car about a year ago and they only gave me that one key. So I had to end up towing the car to Ford and they just made me two new keys this morning. Problem solved... well not really. Driving from the Ford dealer to work this morning I had one good "jerk" and it tried to stall when I pulled into my work parking lot. I heard that buzzing sound for a second but then it went away and the car would start up everytime with my new keys.

I'm at loss guys. The last thing I want is to turn Ford loose charging me all kids of diagnostic fees to track this problem down. Does anyone know what that "buzzing box" is in the front passenger fender? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
 

Avenger

New Member
Feb 19, 2002
1,030
0
0
QC
Dec 8, 2004
#2
  • Dec 8, 2004
  • #2
Danny, do you lose lights/radio when it jerks or only the ignition ?
 

MustangDanny

Founding Member
May 8, 2001
366
0
16
Lexington, NC
Dec 8, 2004
#3
  • Dec 8, 2004
  • #3
Well Murphy's law kept me from going and spending $140. I started to check around the engine compartment for loose grounds and sure enough, one of the smaller wires that go into the negative terminal was loose (only two strands were connected). Must have happened when the new battery was installed (had new terminals put on as well). So far it looks like it solved the problem. For now anyway...
 

Avenger

New Member
Feb 19, 2002
1,030
0
0
QC
Dec 9, 2004
#4
  • Dec 9, 2004
  • #4
Glad to hear it ! That's what I thought.
 
A

AlcHemiE

New Member
Oct 10, 2003
88
0
0
Poughkeepsie, NY
Apr 19, 2005
#5
  • Apr 19, 2005
  • #5
Im having a problem similiar to you, but only mine does it ocasionally. I was drving the other day and when i hit the brakes, my radio turned off. Then it became more harsh the next time i hit the brakes. The radio went off, and the gauges sweeped. Then i tried just flicking the high beams quick. Well the radio went off, the gauges swept, and the car started bucking. Maybe i will check the grounds when i get home, but untill then, any insight?
 

COramprat

...I can take it. I think.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 2, 2003
8,474
1,463
223
Sea of Tranquility
Apr 19, 2005
#6
  • Apr 19, 2005
  • #6
AlcHemiE said:
Im having a problem similiar to you, but only mine does it ocasionally. I was drving the other day and when i hit the brakes, my radio turned off. Then it became more harsh the next time i hit the brakes. The radio went off, and the gauges sweeped. Then i tried just flicking the high beams quick. Well the radio went off, the gauges swept, and the car started bucking. Maybe i will check the grounds when i get home, but untill then, any insight?
Click to expand...
Something loose somewhere...could be an alternator going south too. Take it to a parts place and have them test it for you. If the voltage regulator on the alt is going out you would get similar symptoms.
 
A

AlcHemiE

New Member
Oct 10, 2003
88
0
0
Poughkeepsie, NY
Apr 19, 2005
#7
  • Apr 19, 2005
  • #7
Yeah, that was somthing i suspected. Im going to hit up autozone on the way home from work and see what they got. Couldnt be just the battery, could it?
 
F

ForPointSex

Founding Member
Mar 19, 2002
395
0
16
Mercer, NJ
Apr 19, 2005
#8
  • Apr 19, 2005
  • #8
If the bad wire didn't fix the problem, it might be the ignition switch or the CCRM. The ignition switch turns on the ECU power relay inside the CCRM; and if it cuts out, the ECU will keep on resetting.


If it's not the ignition switch, the box on the passenger side is the CCRM (constant control relay module). It has relay's for the cooling fan, fuel pump, and relay that powers the ECU. If the relay for the ECU is going bad, it could turn off the ECU. A new CCRM is aboud $120.

I don't think it's PATS. Pats has a safety feature that after you start your car and the key cannot be read, the PATS light goes on, but the car runs.

I also don't think it's your battery or alternator. If the alternator would be bad, the car would run under the battery's power. If the battery would be bad, the car would run using the alternator.


Here's a wiring diagram of what's inside the CCRM and location.
http://www.geocities.com/joop1987/ccrm.pdf
http://www.geocities.com/joop1987/ccrmloc.pdf
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Resolved 1996 PATS help needed
  • Bajaboy
  • May 21, 2025
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
5
Views
497
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech May 23, 2025
Bajaboy
B
L
2000 Mustang PATS - Broken Key and Wire - HELP!
  • Laree Taylor
  • May 7, 2026
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
Replies
10
Views
113
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk- May 12, 2026
manicmechanic007
T
2002 V6 3.8L Help Me
  • TheIncompetentMechanic
  • Apr 4, 2026
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • 2 3
Replies
50
Views
674
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk- May 12, 2026
TheIncompetentMechanic
T
T
2001 GT 4.6 V8 weak crank no start.
  • The-Bamboo-Farmer
  • Nov 12, 2025
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
Replies
2
Views
170
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk- Nov 13, 2025
The-Bamboo-Farmer
T
L
1997 V6 Starting issue
  • leanzik04
  • Mar 20, 2026
  • SN95 V6 Mustang Tech
Replies
3
Views
204
SN95 V6 Mustang Tech Mar 20, 2026
Noobz347
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?