I have a 2002 Ford Taurus, I have been having problems with it just shutting off while driving. it does not stutter and die like it would with bad fuel pressure or anything fuel related, it has new fuel filter, pump new spark plugs, new MAF, new TPS and several other sensors have been replaced. it normally does it while driving, it has never done it sitting still or coming to a stop. I can be driving down the road and then for no reason the engine will just flat out stop. all other electronics will still work and if the radio is on it doesn't go off. it is JUST the engine that dies. usually it would start right back up as if nothing happened and you could drive again but it might or might not shut off again. some times it will go days or even weeks and not do anything like this and at other times it will do it every day several times a day. a few days ago one of the keys to the car just flat out quit working and it will no longer start the car, the 2nd key works fine but not sure why the other key quit working. today my fiance was driving the car and it dies on her and didn't want to start back up, finally it did start though and she was able to get it home. she said the key felt hot to her, but I don't know if that was just because it is hot outside or if it was actually due to something with the car. I wasn't with her and wasn't able to feel the key while it was hot. other problems I have noticed with the car is the "auto" selection for the lights sometimes works and sometimes doesn't work, one night I was driving and they were on auto and the lights just went out. also the dash lights will sometimes work and some times not work, but its not always linked to the headlights as some times the dash lights will work and the headlights wont. some times its the other way around, also the head lights always work if they are turned on and never go out, it only happens in auto mode. I have also noticed a few times that the radio display will get very dim at times and others it is fine. none of these seem to happen at the same time that I have noticed, its all just random. another thing is the windshield wipers. some times they wont part right and will stop at random points in the cycle and other times they will work normally. I am really starting to wonder if there is a problem with the PATS system or the ECM because I have gone over all the electrical that I can access and can't find any bad grounds or wires anywhere. I have pulled the ignition out and inspected it and everything in the steering column and everything looks good in there as well. I am about out of ideas other than maybe PATS or ECM or something computer related.
sorry this is such a long post but I wanted to give as many details as I could think of while I am here.
Thanks for your time and help

 

ok, so after a lot of digging around, testing and advice from people. I am almost positive that the problem is the PATS anti theft system... there is absolutely no way I can afford to have this fixed so I am wondering if there is any way to bypass or disable the PATS on a 2002 Ford Taurus... I really need to get this car back up and running but due to loosing my job a few months ago I cannot afford the repairs or a new PATS for it. I called and talked to Ford and they agree that it is probably the problem but other than that they wont give any info unless I spend a couple hundred to have a full diagnostics ran on it, which I also can't afford right now. so I am trying to figure out another way to get the car back up and running because now it will not start with any key.... ANYTHING would be very helpful at this point...
thanks!

 

A little note, I have never heard of a PATS causing a vehicle to shut down once it is running on the road. Maybe, a crank sensor wiring connection is involved here, worth checking out thoroughly also a GEM module which controls lights, wipers and body controls can do some of those things .

 

we have replaced nearly every sensor in the car over the last year. I am pretty sure that was one of them but will have to find all the receipts to make sure. the reason I say its the PATS is because when it would shut off that theft light would flash on right as the car would shut off, I called ford and they mentioned the PATS as well so I am really thinking that is the problem, and now that it suddenly will not start with any key and the theft light stays on when trying to start it. I am starting to really thik that is the problem. if there is any way to disable it or bypass it then that is what I wil have to do because as I mentioned, I can not afford to have it checked out and really can't afford any more parts put in to it because I am BARELY able to cover rent and bills as it is, I am about $100 short each month between electric and rent alone so I am in a VERY tight situation

 

It could be so.
What I was trying to point out was a possible wiring problem, not a sensor problem.
Look for the sensor wiring that may be contacting something and rubbing thru or already having done that and making an intermittent connection. It is not always right at the sensor.

 

this is true, it could be somewhere in the wiring. with the help of a few friends, we have removed the steering column, dash and parts of the engine to access as much wiring as we could to inspect it as well a few days ago. as far as we can tell all the wiring looks ok, we even jiggled plugs and wires to see if it made anything happen. I've been searching Google like a mad man trying to get answers as well as contacting Ford. one of the sites I was on ( I book marked every site I went to lol) mentioned the crankshaft position sensor and I did replace that. I found the rest of my receipts. TPS,MAF, Crankshaft position sensor, IACV, new plugs and wires, EGR, new relays and fuses, new gaskets for several things. new battery, alternator tested and passed, AC blower motor replaced, rear suspension replaced, new coolant reservoir due to a bad sensor in it.... there area a couple other receipts here that I can't read because of the damn thermal paper they used lol but I think they were sensors as well because one is for about $80 and another is about $130 and look like they both were for just one part for the car. but I don't know what the deal with the car is, I know the anti theft light stays on now with either key we put in it and Ford says thats a PATS problem, I know we can't afford to have it fixed and thats why I was trying to figure out a way to bypass the PATS, of course Ford wont tell you how to do that because they want you to bring the car and spend money on diagnostics, but we can't afford that either, and the car would have to be towed, can't afford that either right now. so at this point I am rally just considering eating my losses and junking it because I don't know what else to do.

 

There are some locksmiths that will come to your vehicle and correct a PATS problem. If possible shop around and explain the problem and see if they feel they can correct it. One thing for sure, they charge a lot less than a dealer might. The locksmiths that have the proper equip and experience can maybe determine and correct the cause. It is an alternative and might save you a lot of grief and $$$. Worth checking out.