About a month ago after leaving a bar I get in the jag to go home. Stick the key in and nothing. Try again nothing. All I noticed was the red security LED blinking furiously every time I tuthrd the key. Check to make sure the gear lever was fully in park, no change, tried in neutral no change.
I decided to disconnect the battery and tried a reset. Turned the key and off I went. I was quite perplexed. I thought maybe I had one too many at the bar.

The next day the car started fine no problems since. Until...
Thursday night, as you probably guessed after the bar the exact same thing happened. Tried the battery disconnect with no luck. Used my key fob to lock and unlock and she started. No problems since.

Here I am Saturday night on my way to a karaoke from home. Same issue. This time I couldn't get it to crank at all.

Any ideas? Is my key security transmitter not working? The car has a sears battery that's 1.5 years old. Should still be good but will check voltage in the morning.
Sorry for the long story. Needed to vent. Maybe I'll sing the blues at karaoke.

 

Happened to me a few times, the car does not recognise the chip in the key & thinks you are using a key from a different car.

It's nothing to do the battery in the remote transponder, but the RFID chip in the key itself.

 

Thanks cam!
Hopefully there's a locksmith open on Sunday.

 

I don't see how a locksmith can fix it for you.

It was never clear to me if the chip in the key was the problem, or the reader in the ignition barrel not reading it properly.

The only way I figured it out was by reading the codes with IDS/SDD and it had one for "security error incorrect key" or something like that.

I never did anything to fix it, and it hasn't happened again recently.

 

Dang! Well another reason to get drunk. I'm starting to think my car doesn't like me drinking!

 

That's the PATS light. If you watched a bit longer it will likely flash a code to tell you what it thinks is wrong.

 

Well the car no longer wants to crank no matter what I do.
The PATS light blinks quickly very time I turn the key and will not stop blinking quickly until I remove the key.


Anyone have schematics for the PATS system? Can it be disabled? Or is there a way I can hotwire this thing?


Thanks for help guys!

 

Do you have a 2nd key?

 

Unfortunately I only have the one key.

 

Might be worth while getting a 2nd one cut. Doesn't have to be a genuine Jag one, just a generic tibbes key like for a Ford Focus or similar.

If the locksmith / key-cut joint can clone the chip into the new spare key, see how it goes?

 

Man I can't find a locksmith that can make or clone my key or at least one open on a Sunday.
In the meantime is there a way to work around the PATS system or disable it?

 

Not that I know of.

And if you want to re-program the key with IDS you need two keys, can't just program a single one...

 

Well there you have guys. It was the transponder chip in the key the whole time.
Had to get two new keys made and programmed. The local dealer wanted to charge me $700 for the job. Luckily I was able to find a reputable independant thanks to the regional section! I paid $350 + tax!
FYI, I ordered 2 blank keys from eBay that were labeled as compatible. Turns out they were too wide to be cut properly.
My advice would be to find a locksmith to clone your keys. Just don't mention its a Jaguar. For some reason the locksmiths run for the hills on Jaguar keys, even for key cloning!
Thanks to Ian and Russel at JagMac in Dallas!