Somebody tried to start my car.......
08-04-2005, 12:06 AM
#1
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Ventura County, California
Posts: 1,476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Somebody tried to start my car....... without permision?
Im trying to start my car and the security light is on. I get nothing. The fuel pump is on the lights turn on but no crank when I turn the key. It was a very, very bad feeling knowing my car wouldn't start. I took a second to look at the security lights. Finally started the car and man it was a great feeling to hear the roar of the engine again.
I don't know if somone tried to start my car with out permission. My car had no damage, don't know why it went on security mode, but glad to know the security feature gm gave our cars actually works.
Im trying to start my car and the security light is on. I get nothing. The fuel pump is on the lights turn on but no crank when I turn the key. It was a very, very bad feeling knowing my car wouldn't start. I took a second to look at the security lights. Finally started the car and man it was a great feeling to hear the roar of the engine again.
I don't know if somone tried to start my car with out permission. My car had no damage, don't know why it went on security mode, but glad to know the security feature gm gave our cars actually works.
08-04-2005, 02:40 AM
#2
Happened to me once man...
I went to turn on my 98TA at the time and maybe it was just the way I shoved the key in or something but,it went into security mode...where it was,nobody could have fooled with it,so it wasn't that...never happened again...maybe check to see if the little security piece on the ignition key is not damaged?
Just a thought...-Milt
I went to turn on my 98TA at the time and maybe it was just the way I shoved the key in or something but,it went into security mode...where it was,nobody could have fooled with it,so it wasn't that...never happened again...maybe check to see if the little security piece on the ignition key is not damaged?
Just a thought...-Milt
08-04-2005, 12:54 PM
#3
Teching In
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Saint Peters, MO
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
same thing happened to me about a month ago.. car was still locked, nothing was stolen, alarm was still on.. think eventually after enough use, the resistor in the key gets worn and the car doesn't get the correct voltage through it, so it thinks you're trying to hotwire it and locks you out.. I've got a spare key, so I just started using that and havn't had any problems since..
08-04-2005, 01:09 PM
#4
11 Second Club
found mine unlocked and and in vats mode..... my cd player is faceless..and i dont keep anything else in my car but cds i burned... they left those...
thieve-0
GM and Me-1 :grin:
thieve-0
GM and Me-1 :grin:
Trending Topics
08-05-2005, 06:41 PM
#8
Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
Clean the contacts on your key with rubbing alcohol or contact cleaner - the problem should go away.
I 2nd the Alcohol. That stuff is so usefull, I keep about 2 2quart containers around all the time. Invaluable and Dirt cheap cleaner for lots of stuff. $0.50 a Quart isn't bad at all.
08-05-2005, 08:28 PM
#9
Teching In
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Manhattan KS
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have had my light on for months now, and have tried cleaning the key with rubbing alcohol and it didn't work. A friend's brother that works for a gm dealership came over to the house and check it out. He got under the dash and check, I guess what was the vats box under there and also checked the key, with a meter and said that it was the vats system was the problem. He told me that I would have to replace the vats box and get new keys cuts for the vats box. He said he would do it for free(except part) which was like $70 or $80 his cost. So if you clean the key and it still doesn't clear the light then the vats box might be the problem.
08-06-2005, 11:21 PM
#12
On The Tree
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: CT
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
easy way to bypass vats....measure the resistance in your key, drop the dash, find the two wires coming off the ignition, they are usually in a plastic tubing. cut the wires and loop them, throw a resistor in the loop and you'll never have any problems....except if someone trys to steal your car...but atleast your security light won't be on 
08-08-2005, 07:17 AM
#14
There is no separate "VATS box" - it's part of the BCM. According to GM:
"Technicians should not replace the BCM unless directed to do so by the diagnostic procedures in this section. Most system faults are traceable to faulty wiring, connectors or components. The BCM is very reliable and is not likely the cause of the fault. Do not replace the BCM before performing a complete diagnosis. This may result in the replacement of a good BCM and a recurrence of the fault."
If cleaning the key contacts doesn't solve the problem it is more likely that replacing the key will work than replacing the BCM. If you have a spare key that isn't used as much, try it and see if the light goes off. Also, the contacts inside the ignition switch may be just a dirty as the key (although harder to clean).
"Technicians should not replace the BCM unless directed to do so by the diagnostic procedures in this section. Most system faults are traceable to faulty wiring, connectors or components. The BCM is very reliable and is not likely the cause of the fault. Do not replace the BCM before performing a complete diagnosis. This may result in the replacement of a good BCM and a recurrence of the fault."
If cleaning the key contacts doesn't solve the problem it is more likely that replacing the key will work than replacing the BCM. If you have a spare key that isn't used as much, try it and see if the light goes off. Also, the contacts inside the ignition switch may be just a dirty as the key (although harder to clean).
