Snowman2K1

iTrader: (1)

not much luck in the newbie section so i'll try here

i was hanging out with some friends right now and when i got in my car to drive back home i noticed my security light stayed on..car ran great and everything..decided to go to a friends house and ask about it..he told me the key might be dirty..i tried wiping it..well i just drove back home right now and the light was on....car is running good and everything....should i be worried or do something?..any input would be appreciated..thanks

gccasper04

iTrader: (4)

I know everytime my security light comes on, my car wont start.. still havn't figured that one out.

anyways, my roomate just said his does the same thing every now and then and he said its never ran any different

Snowman2K1

iTrader: (1)

yeah i guess as long as my car starts and runs i probably shouldnt be too worried...dont feel like taking it to a dealership and getting ripped of so i figure i ask here first

2001NBMZ28

Sounds like a VATS issue - car isn't recognizing the resistance value of the key. If it fails while running the light will stay on in fault enable mode and start the car. Probably the wire(s) on the lock cyl broken. Here's a couple links with a good explanation and some options, geared more toward the earlier cars but essentially the same. I'd take care of it before it leaves you stranded somewhere.

http://shbox.com/1/pass_key.html
http://shbox.com/1/vats_bypass.jpg

GMmexican

iTrader: (7)

the stock gm alarms are junk...never helps to invest in a new one and try changing to a new key your dealer will help with that.

2001NBMZ28

VATS is separate, don't think it has anything to do with the alarm.

Snowman2K1

iTrader: (1)

what do you guys recommend i should do?..should i take it to a dealership?..i bought my car 2 months ago and it only came with one set of keys..should i try to go buy another key first from a delership and try that?

2001NBMZ28

Since you only have one set of keys good idea to have another set made anyway. Don't know how much the dealer will charge you, might be able to have them cut cheaper elsewhere? Wherever you get the ignition key made write down the resistance value/pelet # in case you decide to bypass it.

Snowman2K1

iTrader: (1)

im stupid..but what do you mean bypass it...

2001NBMZ28

Bypass VATS with a resistor the same value as the pelet in your key like in the shbox links, in case the lock cyl wires are bad and don't want to replace it yet.

ThaBirdMan

iTrader: (15)

No its your key is messed up, i had this problem and they recommended to get a new key but only every now and then it wouldnt start up for me but only for like 30 seconds.. its nothing to really worry about.. i just got rid of my vats but the light was still on.. so again it doesnt hurt your car as long as you can stand the light..

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

My security light came on one day when I was driving about a year ago or so. I tried cleaning the key, etc., didn't help. I considered doing the resistor bypass thing but didn't get around to it and have just driven it that way ever since. The light doesn't bother me, I don't bother it ... good to go.

james562

iTrader: (35)

Same **** happened to me. Eventually the car would refuse to start and lock up for as much as 15 minutes at a time...

Got tired of ******* with and my local tuner said the dealer has to swap out the tumbler and issue you a new key. We tried disabling VATS it didn't do **** it has to do with the tumbler and the BCM body control module. Cost under 400 installed and programed well worth it one it starts to not allow you to start the car.

01CamaroZ28

iTrader: (9)

i got the security light on too. tried cleaning the key. going to check the wiring next. no problems starting for me either

fastGBcamaro

iTrader: (10)

I would fix it ASAP. I had the same issue with my car a few months ago. The security light came on but the car drove fine. Then one day the light came on and the car wouldn't start, but after 15 minutes the system resets itself, and the light went off and I was able to start the car. I didn't think much of it, but then a few weeks later I went to start the car and the security light came on, but this time it was blinking. At this point the car wont start and the system will not reset itself. There is no way I would spend $400 dollars on a new tumblar and BCM control module. Just bypass it using resistors. Use the bottom link in 2001NBMZ28's post for a digram of where to attach the resistors. I just went to Radio Shack, checked the ohms of resistance in my key, then bought a few resistors that would add up to the same amount of resistance. Soddered them together and then soddered them like the diagram in the link shows. It cost me less than $5 and about a half hour of my time and my car starts perfectly everytime, and no more security light.

88blackgt

it means drive it like you stole it

Snowman2K1

iTrader: (1)

the light wont bother me..if the car runs than i dont care but if you say i should fix it asap before it leaves me stranded where should i go to fix it..should i just go to a dealership and ask for a new key?

fastGBcamaro

iTrader: (10)

You can try a new key from the dealership, but in my case and in most others, its not a problem with the key its with the thing in the steering column that reads the key. That little black chip in your key is nothing more than a resistor. GM used 15 different levels of resistance in making the keys so that you can not use your key to start any other f-body. In the steering column there is a unit that reads this resistance, and over time this unit wears out and is no longer able to read the resistor on your key thus giving you a security light and possibly leaving you stranded. By tapping into the wires that go to this resistor reading unit and soddering in the propper resistors you can trick the system into thinking everything is working perfectly. And best of all it costs very little. The GM dealership will probably rape you on the cost of fixing it.

REDHOtTransAM

iTrader: (3)

mine has ALWAYS been on ever since I got the car...I have never had a problem with it not starting or any other problems from it. Car runs great!

REDHOtTransAM

iTrader: (3)

besides...if there isn't a light on your console that is on...something is wrong. I feel like something is about to break if my check engine light isn't on, makes me nervous. I like it on