The Under Dash Mysteries - What the heck is this?

[Nick OTeen]

Now that my 7 has been declared fully road legal and proudly wears its plate(s), it's time to focus on other things.

 

In getting to know the car I've spent some time looking under the dash - it's quite a jumble of wires and stuff under there - and I noticed this thing tie-wrapped to the steering column near the firewall. It's some sort of a plastic ring clamp attached to a small "box" covered in heat shrink with some wires going to it.

 

What the heck is it?

 

http://oi45.tinypic.com/14x1005.jpg

[pi7ot]

Looks like a security system component.

The Induction ring would encircle the ignition barrel and would recognize the correct ignition key.

Since it is still located close to the key, I would wager that it is still active and functioning normally.

 

m

[Nick OTeen]

Sounds possible. Though the plastic ring clamp appears to be just that, a plastic clamp. There's no electronic component to the ring that I can see but I can only see the one side. Certainly the part encased in the heat shrink with the wires running to it could be a transponder reader. The key for the 7 doesn't look like much but it very well could have a PATS transponder chip in it. It would be good to know if it does as I'd like to have a spare key or two made.

 

EDIT:

 

And then there's this, similar looking, part (described as a PATS transceiver) from the Caterham website:

 

 

http://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/img/p/2874-2849-large.jpg

 

http://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=2874

Edited July 15, 2012 by Nick O'Teen

[glenntwincam]

It works just as pi7ot explained .your car has a focus SVT engine , I assume using the ford ecu, that piece is part of the ford PATS security system , on a focus , the ring is on the ignition barrel & the piece shrink wrapped on to it is the "chip" that is normally in the ignition key . it operates when key is put in ignition the "receiver" on column gets correct code and the ecu allows the car to start . caterham permanently mounts the "chip" to "receiver" so their ignition switch will work . if you have no problems with car starting , leave it alone .

Edited July 14, 2012 by glenntwincam

[Nick OTeen]

if you have no problems with car starting , leave it alone .

I have no intentions of messing with it but, at the same time, it would be kind of nice if Caterham had kept the system as originally intended and employed an ignition lock and key with the PATS system fully functional.

[pi7ot]

It probably is fully functional. If it has wiring coming off it, it works and is your immobilizer system. The Cat steering rack is physically different than that of a Focus. Having the induction ring sited like it was on the Focus would probably interfere with thighs and knees of larger framed owners. It would fail MOT in the UK.

They have placed it close enough that the key is sensed, but out of the way of human appendages.

 

m

[glenntwincam]

the caterham key does not have a "chip". caterham/usa removed the "chip" from the original ford key & shrink wrapped it to the sensing ring .

[Taber10]

Glenntwincam,

 

Thanks for the info--I've learned something about my Caterham SV today that I didn't know before!

[breezy7]

I remove the PATS when leaving my Caterham in places like a hotel parking lot overnight. The fuel injectors are disabled when the chip is removed. It is not visible in the photo but there is a tab that is pressed to disconnect the sensor from the wiring harness. I loosen the velcro holding the harness and drop it down and release the sensor. I doubt the Caterham UK part would work with a USA Zetec but it is the same idea. The ECU is programmed to see the specific chip it is mated to, a bad or lost chip or a new ECU would have to reprogramed to each other.

 

Mike

[Klasik-69]

While you're looking under the dash and see that mess of wires, consider the fact that some of these are wired in the "British" way, not sure if your is but mine sure is. That means the 12 VDC power goes to the switch first, then by wire to the fuse, then to the source. That is a very good way to have a home built BBQ under your dash. Coupled with the Lucas Electrical quality control system, it's a wonder they don't have a fire extinguisher directly coupled to the system's electrical system. If it wasn't such a PIA, I would rewire the whole thing like it should be. I could understand doing this in the 60's but 50 years later, :banghead:

[Croc]

While you're looking under the dash and see that mess of wires,

 

You are coming from a Zetec car perspective. They never had a standard UK Caterham wiring harness like the Rover K's or the Duratec/Sigma. My SVT Zetec car was far more messy with the wiring than my current Duratec which had a modified wiring harness shipped in from the UK. My previous SVT Zetec installation was literally out of a Ford focus and then chopped up. That had wires to nowhere...

[Klasik-69]

I've got wires that go nowhere, I've got connectors everywhere going nowhere, but worst of all is the fact that power is distributed to switches prior to going to a fuse. Maybe in England the constant rain helps put out the electrical fires !