Hi Ian,

Thanks for the hints. I registered on etis and noticed there was a technical help number for 'complex' faults. Hoping they would be more useful than the blue oval club number I gave them a call.

The chap, whilst sounding very knowledgeable, couldn't come up with any ideas. The code gen i'm using is providing the correct codes as the ids complains when you enter a wrong code. He concluded that the pats in the dash is working fine as I can program and erase keys. The issue lies with communication between the dash and PCM - although a network test completes successfully.

I tried disconnecting the PCM before starting the PCM replacement programming so that IDS could not inhale the existing data in the PCM. I was presented with a few configuration options just before programming took place but after programming I still couldn't initialize the PCM to the PATS.

I found out today that the vehicle previously had been been recovered for non starting with no root cause found, it just started working. So I believe my issues to be related to the previous starting issue.

I have another guy coming Monday with the older VCM (we use the VCM2) so that we can eliminate hardware issues. If that doesn't work and once I've thoroughly checked the wiring I think I'm going to go down a new PCM route. I also noted that the N/S/F looks like it's had a bump previously and the PCM is located just behind the headlight so it may have been stressed at some point.

If all fails it's out with the petrol and matches

Have a good Weekend!
Matt