No crank and a rapidly flashing padlock in the instrument cluster

[Midlife Crises]

I was loading some tune changes with a X4 and inadvertently bumped the battery kill switch. Now the dreaded rapidly flashing padlock is awake in the instrument cluster and the engine will not crank. The X4 will not communicate with vehicle and shows the code 11020. Does this mean I’m off to Ford to have PATs reset or is there something I can do.

 

[whitmanink]

about 2 months ago i was loading another tune from lito, and when it was loading i decided id wait outside the car,, well in doing this i unpluged the scx tuner while it was at like %15 load,,, ,, i went inside ,reloaded the tune(from computer) ,, and it went in no problem,, maybe try reloading the tune on the tuner from the computer and unhook the battery again and reattach before you try to load it again

 

[Juice]

I have done rhat. I was able to recover the pcm by selecting restore to stock,and than reload the tune. I do not recall the exact steps, but it involved stepping on the brake pedal at some point. Basically forcing the x4 to load the pre-married tune.

 

[Midlife Crises]

Still not able to get the Mustang out of anti theft mode. Everything on the car seems to work but engine will not crank,and no fuel pump running. The X4 can not communicate with the ECM. I made an appointment with the local Ford dealer to get it checked out. Can’t get me in until September 5th.

 

[Juice]

Dealer should be able to flash it back to stock.
But they will tell you that you need a new pcm.
Either way, your x4 will no longer be married to your car.

I would contact SCt on instructions on how to force a restore to stock. Try holding the brakes on when you turn on the key, and try to restore to stock. Or stepping on the brake before you click restore to stock.

 

[Midlife Crises]

I’m hoping they can do something like replace or reprogram the anti theft module but I’m not sure how that all works.

 

[JC SSP]

I hate to say it but the computer might be damaged. Get the computer code and start looking on eBay… just in case.

 

[MrBhp]

I used to have a bowling team named "dammit man". I think it applies to this.

 

[Midlife Crises]

OK, Here’s one for ya. I have an old X3 from 2010 before installing the supercharger. It is unmarried but still has three Brenspeed tunes that I ran back then. I plugged the X3 in and selected program and it saved the existing tune as stock and successfully replaced it with the selected tune. The anti theft system is reset. I turned the key and it fired right up and ran well. This is not a tune for a supercharger and locked cams so I didn’t let it run long. The X4 will attempt to connect now but the X3 is married so the X4 will not program. Using the X3 I returned to stock and the anti theft system activated as before and the X4 will not communicate with the computer. And of course no crank.
I don’t understand how the old X3 connected to the computer with the X4 married. Obviously the X4 is messed up and the tune I was trying to load is corrupted.
I attempted to install the Lito blower tunes into the X3 but they were written for the X4 and won’t do that. I’m thinking about updating the X4 but have read that can be a mistake while it is married.
Oh hell ya” this is fun.

 

[crjackson]

OK, Here’s one for ya.

This might be a longshot, or perhaps something you’ve already tried. Since Lito’s tunes are emailed to you, I wonder if you have tried hooking up to a computer and deleting the tune from the x4. Rebooting it (disconnect for 15 sec, then reconnect) and reloading the Lito tune back onto the device ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

 

[Juice]

The issue is you interrupted a flash with the x4. You dont have a hardware issue, just an incomplete flash..
Restore to stock does not "need" a good flash, as it is more of a rescue function in a case like this.
Why the x3 was able to restore vs the x4 is the x4 does check communications (responding OS). This requires the extra step(s) when trying to recover with an x4. I found this step by total luck, stuck at wawa, waiting for sct to call me back.

Whats strange is, the x4 should not have cared about the Brenspeed tune. I think I know why. There is a checkbox when you create a tune to ignore/override os code allowing OS swaps. Or Brenspeed tune has an OSID the x4 does not support/recognize.

Your best option is to force the X4 to restore to stock. SCT will want to remote iin with team viewer. They have ways to force a restore.

 

[Midlife Crises]

They have ways to force a restore.

What you are saying makes sense of what I am seeing. Did you speak with SCT by phone or did you handle this by email.

 

[Juice]

I called, they said to have laptop, x4, car, and internet access to laptop ready so they can remote in. He called me back in 30 min, but by that time I got the x4 to push the stock file and recovered the pcm.

You possibly have another option. If you have your current tune saved on pc, you could load that with your x3. But that makes the X4 a paper weight.

Ps: dont worry about the number of unlocks on the x4. Restoring to stock and remarrying to same VIN does not use an unlock.

 

[Midlife Crises]

I called,

Thanks for your assistance. I will call SCT on Monday.

 

[JC SSP]

The good news is it’s not a computer issue.

If you can load your tune to x3 you should be good to go. Then reset your X4 via SCT and have an unlocked tuner to sell or attempt to re-tune at a later date.

 

[Midlife Crises]

The good news is it’s not a computer issue.

If you can load your tune to x3 you should be good to go. Then reset your X4 via SCT and have an unlocked tuner to sell or attempt to re-tune at a later date.

All of the tunes I have for the supercharger from Brenspeed or Lito were written for the X4. I have not been successful in loading them into the X3.

 

[JC SSP]

Ok the getting the X4 reset should work. SCT should be able to reset.

Good luck buddy.

 

[Midlife Crises]

by that time I got the x4 to push the stock file and recovered the pcm.

And there you have it. I don’t understand it but the car sort of fixed itself. I left it overnight with the functioning tune from the old X3 loaded. This afternoon I plugged in the X4, went directly to “Return to Stock” and it loaded the saved stock program without complaint. At this point I connected a battery charger for piece of mind and used the X4’s normal program function to load the tune that started this whole mess. That worked just like it always has. I do not have a definitive step by step on how the reset occurred. Just the fumbling I have listed. I believe my only loss at this point is the bum program that now resides in the old X3 as the saved stock tune.
Thank you all for your contribution.

 

[crjackson]

I actually had a similar problem caused from an incomplete flash. I called SCT (I had only my X4). They told me to disconnect my battery (SCT unplugged) for 30 minutes. Put it on a charger while waiting. Then reconnect the battery, and keep the charger on it. From there, I was instructed to reconnect the X4 and try the flashing process again. Mercifully it worked.

Based on the 2 experiences, It seems like giving the PCM a time-out, allowed IT to somehow recover/reboot/reset or some such thing.

Learning …

 

[Juice]

There is a "known issue' of random flash failures on Fords. (with very similiar fixes reported) HPtuner users have reported this happening. Even the HP tuner techs do not know the actual reason.

I have 'soft bricked' mine 3 times over the years. Twice it was caused by a x4 interruption. But ONE time, (at a track ofcourse) flash got to 75% and failed. No disconnect, good battery voltage. I had flashed my car hundreds of times, so the chance of failed flash is very small. But after this happened at a track, I stopped using the X4 to correct the speedo. X4 is tuning only, gear ratio and tire size I set in the VID block. This has to be setup in the tune, and you need another tool to program the VID block.

Ps: if you ever see an immediate flash error, and the X4 prompts you to restore to stock, restoring is not necessary. THe prompt should be: "Clear DTC's" and try again.