Theft light flashing.

[fordysenior]

Hello, my 02 is running fine, but now my theft light flashes on the cluster. It's not rapid flashing, and it goes away when I start the vehicle. When I turn off the engine and remove the key, the light appears, and it flashes, and flashes. The light used to stay off until I pushed the lock button on the fob twice -- then the light would come on and keep flashing, and the horn would honk once. No repairs have been done recently, and I disconnected the negative battery cable for about 20 minutes to see if it would change, and the light is coming back on. My battery has a few years on it, but it turns the engine and starts just like normal. The battery is a Napa, and it's 9.5 years old. Also, I used ForScan, but don't really know how to use it, and did a basic check on codes and nothing came up. Any thoughts? Thank you.

 

[Lee's Automotive]

Hello, my 02 is running fine, but now my theft light flashes on the cluster. It's not rapid flashing, and it goes away when I start the vehicle. When I turn off the engine and remove the key, the light appears, and it flashes, and flashes. The light used to stay off until I pushed the lock button on the fob twice -- then the light would come on and keep flashing, and the horn would honk once. No repairs have been done recently, and I disconnected the negative battery cable for about 20 minutes to see if it would change, and the light is coming back on. My battery has a few years on it, but it turns the engine and starts just like normal. The battery is a Napa, and it's 9.5 years old. Also, I used ForScan, but don't really know how to use it, and did a basic check on codes and nothing came up. Any thoughts? Thank you.

That's totally normal my 99 explorer does the same thing

 

[fordysenior]

I've owned it 20 years, and it wasn't that way. It just started doing it. Is that normal, to all of a sudden change -- maybe as it gets older, like me. ??

 

[Lee's Automotive]

I've owned it 20 years, and it wasn't that way. It just started doing it. Is that normal, to all of a sudden change -- maybe as it gets older, like me. ??

Honestly every ford I've driven has the flash when it's off it's a theft deterrent for criminals

 

[eddiehudson]

Hello, my 02 is running fine, but now my theft light flashes on the cluster. It's not rapid flashing, and it goes away when I start the vehicle. When I turn off the engine and remove the key, the light appears, and it flashes, and flashes. The light used to stay off until I pushed the lock button on the fob twice -- then the light would come on and keep flashing, and the horn would honk once. No repairs have been done recently, and I disconnected the negative battery cable for about 20 minutes to see if it would change, and the light is coming back on. My battery has a few years on it, but it turns the engine and starts just like normal. The battery is a Napa, and it's 9.5 years old. Also, I used ForScan, but don't really know how to use it, and did a basic check on codes and nothing came up. Any thoughts? Thank you.

With my 2010 Edge the light flashes as soon as I remove the key and goes off as soon as I start up. Of course my 1992 XLT doesn't have PATS. I don't think I've ever looked back inside to see if the Pats light was flashing.

How did you get your battery to last 9 1/2 years? I've had batteries last 20 years but not used on a daily driver.

 

[fordysenior]

Well, maybe I've just ignored the theft light so well that I forgot about it. I just looked at my '99 F150 and its Theft light is flashing. The Explorer is not a daily driver. I drive it more for out of town trips, and winter time driving. I guess I'll quit worrying about it, thanks all.