Normal Operation
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Mercury Montego, 2006 Ford Freestyle, and 2006 Ford Five Hundred. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
During each vehicle start sequence, the powertrain control module (PCM) queries the passive anti-theft system (PATS) key and compares the information with the PATS key information stored in the PCM memory. The PCM then enables the starting functions of the engine. The PATS transceiver provides the interface between the PATS key and the PCM.