LewS1

So I was taking my camaro out of storage due to the nice weather we have been having in New York. I got the car out of my shipping container and jumped the battery. Car started up after 5 mins of charge. I let her run for about 10 minutes till I started driving out and then it just died. I had read up a lot and was able to diagnose the problem to be my ignition cylinder because my whole dash will light up but the security light will blink. No cranking when I try to start or anything. So I got to my ignition cylinder and next step is to swap it out with a new one. I'm just a little curious as to what this entails. Like do I go to a dealership with my keys or what?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

This is not your ignition cylinder.


Can you take the part back? You'll need to spend some money to get the part useful and/or put in a lot of work to get it functioning in the car - and then it's not going to solve the problem with the car shutting down while running.


Is your issue that the car won't crank at all, now? Have you tried jumping it?

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

You can go into a dealership with your insurance card if I rcalle correctly, and have them sell you a new key and cylinder for around $250

It's far easier to do the Vats bypass.

As mentioned though you may want to check your main engine fuse. A rat could have chewed something and burnt a wire

LewS1

The only reason I jumped to the ignition is because of the blinking security light. I took apart my wheel and played with the ignition wires while trying to start the car and it would start to crank if I finnesed the wires in the right spot. I read up that the ignition wires tend to short out

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Did your cylinder come with new wires?

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

I think it's actually part of the switch that looses contact with the cylinder. I remember researching options years ago before, buy in the end I just went to radio shack and bought resistors to put in the plug for the column

On my camaro it actually shows on car fax that the igntion system was replaced in 2006. Never had to do a bypass on it yet

Spartan7

iTrader: (7)

That issue isn't, but OP does mention the "security" light is blinking and it will not crank, so there's probably two separate things going on here.

The wires rotate with the ignition cylinder, and grow brittle and break with age and use.

Way back when I replaced mine (unlike most, I actually keep VATS), it was around $50 for a replacement A4 cylinder, the manual is more expensive. A blank key will come with it, then you take that and your old key to the dealer and they will cut you a replacement. Cost me $25 for one key.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Right. The VATS contacts are in the cylinder and your ignition contacts are completely separate in the ignition switch, which is connected to the cylinder by a linkage. It would really be something for both of these things to fail on you at the same time. Do you think the Security Light coming on could just be the normal behavior that happens before the car starts?


I would replace the ignition switch before the cylinder. This guide is directionally appropriate for our column, but its from an older (pre-VATS) model: http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...ck_Rebuild.pdf


If you do replace the cylinder, the first questions would be:
- Do you want to keep VATS?
- If so, did you get a cylinder that matches your current VATS resistor?

LewS1

I would like to keep the vats. Don't want to bypass anything. Just not sure what exact ignition cylinder to get. Idk which ones match my resistor value. My car is a 6 speed. I did not buy the part yet either, you think you can throw a link my way that shows me what ignition cylinder to purchase?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

The cylinder should be the same no matter what. There are 12+ different keys that have different resistor values.

I'm not sure how the cylinders are sold, but if there are 12+ different options for the different keys that come with them, you'll want to get an ohmmeter to measure the chip in your current key and match that up. (So your new key will play nicely with your BCM.)

There are threads linked to the stickies that list the resistor values and details.

Spartan7

iTrader: (7)

There's 15, and I already mentioned how the cylinders are sold (unless they've changed in recent years). There are only two options; auto or manual. They come with a blank key, and you must have a new key cut with the new pattern and the pellet value from your old key.

LewS1

Just found a manual ignition cylinder at autozone for around $35. After I purchase this do I bring my current set of keys and new ignition to the dealer with my old ignition as well?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Only if you want to be bent over a barrel or are made of money.

You are best off (financially) measuring your current key, using the part numbers in the sticky to buy new blanks off of eBay, than taking the key from the new cylinder and your new blanks to a good locksmith and having them make a copy of the new key on to the proper blanks. (That have the proper resistance value.)

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

Well..... Your body control module is programmed to receive voltage from the key that is specific to the resistor in the key itself.

The only way you could use the autozone cylinder is if you took the new autozone key to the dealer, and had a dealer cut a new blank key in the correct resistance with a pattern copied from the autozone key. They would still charge atleast $60 to cut a new key

The dealer can cut you the exact key your car had from the factory without having your old one to copy. It's specific design is stored in the database with its specific keyed chip part number

It would be easier to buy the whole thing from the dealer.

The Vats bypass should not scare you about the car being stolen later down the road. A few years ago in texas there was a large number of fbodies being stolen, at typical places. Movies theatres, walmart etc. Thieves were using tow trucks to steal the vehicles. Some one willing to steal the vehicle will be aware of its antitheft features, so unless you're out there telling everyone about it online with your adress you should not be worried.

At the very least I would do the bypass to get the car running and going while researching better options

Spartan7

iTrader: (7)

Is that how much you paid? It cost me $25 (granted this was quite a number of years ago).

And I see nothing wrong with wanting to retain a security feature. Are you going to eliminate your door locks because they tow cars too?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

See above. If one buys the blank on one's own, this cut key can be had for under $10.


Going to a dealer only guarantees that one will be screwed in the end. ... and this will cost way more.

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

It was $60 for them to provide and cut the key. That was about 3-4 years ago. I was hoping my set of keys had just become worn and wasn't contacting the cylinder. It did not work with a new key either

It's personal preference. My car is parked in the garage all the time. I don't plan to sell it and if I did no one would know it was bypassed anyways.

Yeah, depends how much your time is worth though. Technically you could just buy the right resistance blank key on ebay and have home depot cut it to be the same as the new autozone key. That would save even more money.

Or if you're feeling adventurous you could try to remove the resistor from your old and new key and solder your old chip on the new key