2003 starting issue

[Baby Blue]

I put the FEM back in and am having the same problems with starting, power steering, and turn signals. I will check the fuel pressure, but the fact that it starts and runs fine and whatever turn of the key it takes makes me think it is more electronic.

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[11025je]

Hi. I know this is an older thread but my neighbor has an 03 thunderbird with these exact same symptoms. No start. Blinking headlights, slow turn signals, eratiic power steering when it does start. The column keeps moving up and down like you are getting in and out of the car. I'm wondering if a resolution as been found for this. He already had the instrument cluster rebuilt and that didn't fix it. It started acting up again just a few weeks later. The car is garage kept with 6k miles on it. I don't think it even has ever been rained on. It has 48 psi fuel pressure at crank and a tac signal at crank but still doesn't fire. Newer battery kept on trickle charge when not in use. It almost seems to think it's being stolen at times. I have tried both keys. No difference. Any help with a resolution to this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[edward301]

Hi. I know this is an older thread but my neighbor has an 03 thunderbird with these exact same symptoms. No start. Blinking headlights, slow turn signals, eratiic power steering when it does start. The column keeps moving up and down like you are getting in and out of the car. I'm wondering if a resolution as been found for this. He already had the instrument cluster rebuilt and that didn't fix it. It started acting up again just a few weeks later. The car is garage kept with 6k miles on it. I don't think it even has ever been rained on. It has 48 psi fuel pressure at crank and a tac signal at crank but still doesn't fire. Newer battery kept on trickle charge when not in use. It almost seems to think it's being stolen at times. I have tried both keys. No difference. Any help with a resolution to this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

The blinking headlights is from the alarm system in alarmed state. The steering column moving up and down is most likely a dirty contact in the ignition switch.

Make sure battery is charged, set alarm system with key fob, then 30 seconds later disarm alarm system with key fob. Second clean ignition key switch real good
with contact cleaner and insert key turn and move key to all positions several times. Also remove key and reinsert key several times to allow contact cleaner
to work on all contacts in ignition key switch.

If you keep having issues after this I would think the chip in your ignition key may be bad, or the inducer ring around the ignition switch may be bad, this is what
reads the chip in your ignition key.

 

[11025je]

Thanks for the advice. I gave this a try. I can get the engine to start sometimes. But all the other problems remain. The steering column, the lights blinking. I noticed that while running the theft light stayed on. It's odd if it thought it was being stolen that it would allow the engine to start. Although with the engine running, it would be near impossible to drive with the steering column moving up and down over and over. Do you know if this has a separate standalone anti-theft module? Or is it part of another larger system?

 

[doug7740]

The anti-theft perimeter protection feature is controlled by the front electronic module (FEM), the rear electronic module (REM), and the remote keyless entry module (RKE). The alarm can be armed using the LOCK button in the remote transmitter to the RKE module, which sends a message through the communications network to the FEM. The FEM and REM will then monitor all features, which will activate the alarm in the event of an unauthorized entry.

The perimeter alarm can only be disarmed using the remote transmitter or the driver door lock cylinder switch, or by cycling to RUN a valid programmed key in the ignition switch.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue